Study: one in three new websites created using AI
AI content makes the internet more positive, but it lacks diversity.
More and more content on the internet is being created by non-humans – by mid-2025, around one in three new websites will be created or significantly powered by artificial intelligence (AI). The rapid growth of this shift is highlighted by an analysis by an international team of researchers from Imperial College London, Stanford University, and the Internet Archive. However, the researchers say that these changes should not necessarily be viewed negatively.
AI created a third of new websites
An international team of researchers found that between 2022 and mid-2025, about 35% of newly created websites were generated or heavily supported by AI.
As stated in the preliminary publication of the study, this represents a sharp break – before the appearance of ChatGPT, such content was practically non-existent, and within a few years, it became a significant part of the Internet.
Researchers say they analyzed tens of thousands of websites using Internet Archive data and automated AI detection tools. The data collected shows that AI content is not only spreading rapidly, but is also beginning to change the very nature of the internet.
The Internet is becoming more “positive” but less diverse
The internet has been shaped by humans for decades, but the influence of AI has grown in just a few years, making it one of the fastest technological changes in the digital space, according to researchers.
Scientists explain that as the amount of AI-generated content increases, online texts become more uniform. Researchers found that semantic diversity is decreasing – in other words, content is more likely to repeat similar ideas, structures, and styles.
Nevertheless, it is also noticeable that AI-generated text has a significantly more positive tone – the emotional “positivity” of such texts is more than twice as high as that of human-written content.
However, some of the oft-repeated fears have not been borne out. Contrary to popular belief, the study found no statistically significant evidence that AI would massively increase the amount of misinformation or completely eliminate source references, although, according to the authors of the study, such risks remain.
Can websites created by AI be trusted?
While the study found no clear evidence that AI-generated content is less accurate, experts stress that the main problem lies elsewhere – in similarity and quality variation. The increasing role of AI can lead to less diversity of opinion, repetitive content, or a uniform writing style that makes different sources seem almost identical.
However, the technological contribution here can be assessed in two ways, and as we can see, it will not necessarily be negative. The final impact will depend not only on the technology itself, but also on how people use it.
As readers increasingly encounter AI-generated websites, the ability to critically evaluate information – checking sources, comparing different opinions, and recognizing content that may be generated automatically – becomes a key skill.
How to spot AI-generated content
While the line between human and machine creation is blurring, the attentive reader can still recognize traces of AI. Below, we will discuss the main aspects worth paying attention to when visiting new websites.
One of the most common signals is “neat” but superficial text. AIs often produce well-written but generic articles or other information that lack specific details or original insights. Such texts may be informative, but they do not answer deeper questions.
It’s also worth paying attention to repetitive phrases and structures. If several different texts and descriptions, or even different websites, sound very similar, it could be a sign that the content was generated using the same AI models.
Another important aspect is the quality of the sources. Trustworthy websites usually rely on clearly cited, verifiable sources. Meanwhile, AI-generated content may provide generic links, unclear quotes, or avoid them altogether.
Experts also recommend evaluating the website itself – does it have a clear author, editorial staff, or does the company provide its contact information? Anonymous pages that suddenly appear and have a lot of similar content are more likely to be automated.
Similar criteria should be followed when shopping online.
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