AI Is Eating the Internet. What to Do?

The internet has changed. Again.

But this time, it’s not a new algorithm, policy update, or browser design trend. It’s deeper. Structural. Unprecedented.

Generative AI is rewriting the rules of how we find and interact with information online. Discovery, learning, search, engagement—everything is shifting.

The last time something this big happened was… the internet itself.

Working Through the Fear

I didn’t write this because I have a clear answer. I wrote it because I was feeling overwhelmed.

When I started seeing the impact generative AI is having—on search, on content, on how people find information—I felt a mix of anxiety, concern, and honestly, fear.

Traffic is dropping. The rules have changed. The tools and tactics I’ve relied on felt suddenly out of date.

I caught myself catastrophizing—spinning stories in my head about what this meant for my work, for digital marketing as a whole, for the future of the web.

I felt stuck in the negative, doom-scrolling, watching click-through rates drop, clicks decline, and questioning the future of digital marketing.

But I’m not all doom and gloom about AI. I’ve also explored its upside—especially for entrepreneurs and creators—in The Rise of the Promptrepreneur, where I dig into how these tools are unlocking new opportunities.

This article is my attempt to work through the tension. To name the fear, step back from it, and reframe what’s happening—not just as loss, but as a realignment. A shift. One that’s uncomfortable, yes—but also necessary to understand and engage with more deeply.

The Big Shift and Cause for Concern

The shift is showing up in a number of places—but one of the most immediate and dramatic impacts of generatie AI is unfolding in search.

Google’s new AI Overviews have introduced a paradigm shift known as Zero Click Search—a world where users get what they need directly from AI generated summaries, often without ever clicking through to a website. The traditional model—where search drove discovery and traffic to trusted sources—is being rapidly upended.

The numbers are sobering. Early estimates suggest AI Overviews are reducing click-through rates by nearly 35%. That’s fewer visits, lower traffic, and vanishing visibility for the publishers, creators, brands, and businesses that have long relied on organic search.

Source: Ahrefs

Click volume is down. Behavior is shifting. And this isn’t a blip—it’s the new normal.

But there’s another layer to this shift—one that raises real concern.

As organic visibility shrinks, more websites will be forced to pay for attention. That drives up competition, inflates cost-per-click, and makes the landscape even more expensive for advertisers.

It’s a win for Google’s bottom line, but it squeezes out smaller players. Brands with thinner margins get priced out. Fewer advertisers survive. And users are left with fewer choices.

This isn’t just disruption. It’s a restructuring of the ecosystem itself.

Still, beneath the discomfort lies a signal: The old playbook is gone. A new one is being written—right now.

Everyone Just Got Reset to Zero

Here’s the good news: you’re not behind.

This isn’t one of those moments where the early adopters are miles ahead and everyone else is scrambling to catch up. The playing field just got bulldozed—and now we’re all standing on the same blank canvas.

It’s a rare moment: a shared starting line.

But it won’t stay that way for long. A gap is already forming—between those who adapt and those who hesitate. The ones who start now will shape what comes next.

The reset is here. What you do now determines which side you’re on.

What to Do Now

The rules have changed. But that doesn’t mean you’re irrelevant.

In moments of disruption, the instinct to freeze is strong. Don’t. This is your cue to move—with intention, curiosity, and urgency.

Here’s how to respond.

1. Activate Learning Mode

This is a moment to double down on curiosity.

Not passive scanning. Not headline surfing. Real, intentional learning. The kind that builds understanding—and advantage.

If generative AI is changing the rules of the web, it’s up to you to study the rulebook while it’s being written.

Read Deep, Not Just Wide

Don’t just consume the trending takes. Read the essays, the breakdowns, the signal beneath the noise. Follow people who are building and documenting what they’re learning—not just talking about it.

Listen to the Right Voices

Some of the most useful ideas come from conversations.

Podcasts, interviews, and long-form discussions can give you access to the thinking behind the thinking: how people are experimenting, where they’re uncertain, what’s working in real time.

Seek out voices exploring the intersection of AI, creativity, marketing, business, and technology—not just hyping the latest tools, but unpacking the implications.

The goal isn’t to keep up with every trend. It’s to hear how thoughtful people are making sense of change as it happens.

Take a Course or Watch a Tutorial

Pick an AI powered tool you want to understand better—whether it’s ChatGPT, Midjourney, Claude, or Gemini—and actually learn how to use it.

Watch a tutorial. Take a free mini-course. Try a walkthrough for a use case in your own work.

Learn by doing, but do it with structure.

Build Something New (or Improve Something Old)

Put the tools into play. Use AI to speed up something slow. Try building something small but useful. Redesign your content process. Launch a test idea. Rewrite an old article with AI assistance.

Learning doesn’t stick until you use it.

This is not about becoming an expert in everything. It’s about staying engaged, informed, and fluent enough to move forward with clarity while others hesitate.

2. Focus on What AI Can’t Replace

As generative AI becomes more capable, it may also become more average. It currently excels at synthesizing what already exists—but it struggles with what’s uniquely human.

That’s where your advantage lives.

If you want your work to matter in a world of infinite content, you need to invest in what can’t be scraped, summarized, or simulated.

Here’s where to focus:

Trust

AI can generate answers, but struggles to build credibility.

Trust is earned through consistency, transparency, and showing up over time. It’s built when you help without expectation, explain without jargon, and speak in a voice that feels honest—not manufactured.

If your readers, customers, or collaborators trust you, they’ll come back for your perspective—even if AI already gave them an answer.

Taste

Taste is the ability to choose well: what to include, what to exclude, and what to elevate.

In a world of abundance, curation matters more than creation. Taste is your filter—your lens on the world. It’s what helps your work feel thoughtful instead of formulaic.

People follow those who help them see clearly. Your taste is how you earn that trust.

Community

AI doesn’t authentically participate in communities. You can.

You don’t need to build a community. Some of the most valuable relationships and insights come from simply showing up—thoughtfully—in the places where your peers, customers, or collaborators already gather.

Here’s what that might look like:

• Join a Subreddit or Skool community in your niche and consistently share thoughtful, experience-based answers.
• Engage in the spaces where your audience already spends time—whether it’s a LinkedIn thread, Discord server, or niche community forum. Show up to add something useful, not just to be seen.
• Attend local meetups, workshops, or conferences related to your craft, your industry, or AI itself. In-person serendipity still matters.
• Support others—share their work, leave reviews, recommend resources.

The key is to participate in a way that gives more than it takes.

When people see you adding value with no agenda, they remember. That’s how real community—and reputation—is built.

Proprietary Data

If AI is remixing what’s already out there, your edge is in what only you know.

This could be:

• First-party data from your customers
• Insights from your own experiments
• Observations from a niche you’ve lived in for years

Original input leads to differentiated output. That’s how you stay ahead of the average.

Personal Story

Your experience—what you’ve tried, failed at, and figured out—can’t be faked. Stories with specificity are more powerful than generic advice. The more personal your work, the more universal it tends to feel. Share the “how” and the “why,” not just the “what.”

You don’t need to compete with AI on speed or scale. You need to build on the qualities it struggles to mimic.

That’s where your advantage will always live.

3. Design for Usefulness, Not Just Views

AI is optimized for answers. You should try to optimize for impact.

In a world flooded with content, what stands out isn’t what gets clicked—it’s what gets used. The most valuable things you can create now are tools and resources, not just takes.

Usefulness builds trust, invites return visits, and earns sharing without asking for it.

What this could look like in practice:

• A checklist that helps someone launch faster
• A template that saves hours of setup
• A guide that explains how to do something with clarity
• A tool or calculator that solves a recurring problem
• A small product that does one thing well
• A curated library that simplifies research

If AI gives people quick answers, your job is to give them meaningful progress.

Build things they want to bookmark. Things they’ll share in a Slack channel. Things they’ll come back to because it actually helped.

4. Diversify Your Discovery Channels

If all your traffic comes from Google, you’re standing on rented land.

As AI transforms search into a closed-loop experience, relying on one channel for discovery isn’t just risky—it’s unsustainable. The future belongs to those who spread their message across platforms and build direct relationships.

Here’s how that can look:

• Email — still the most reliable way to reach people directly
• Social media — share insights, not just links; build credibility over time
• Podcasts or guest appearances — offer depth and voice in a format AI can’t replicate
• Collaborations — cross-promote with aligned creators or brands
• Community platforms — participate consistently where your audience gathers

The goal isn’t to be everywhere. It’s to make sure you’re not invisible when one channel shifts or disappears.

Build an ecosystem, not a dependency.

5. Create Conversational Content

AI generated content is fast, fluent—and flat. It speaks at people. Your edge is creating content that speaks with them.

The goal isn’t just distribution. It’s interaction.

Great conversational content invites response, reflection, or contribution. It’s designed to feel alive.

Here’s what that might look like:

• A playful customer survey, followed by a visualized report and commentary
• A “what do you think?” post that leads to a roundup of the most thoughtful responses
• A short quiz or tool that generates a shareable result
• A before/after story that invites others to share their own version
• A question-driven newsletter that turns reader replies into the next issue

This kind of content doesn’t just inform—it includes. And that inclusion builds trust, loyalty, and long-term value.

Make your content a two-way street.

If you’re looking for a more structured way to take action, I’ve created The PRACTICE Framework for Effective AI Prompting. It’s a practical guide to help you get the most out of your interactions with generative AI—whether you’re using it to create, ideate, research, or build.

Move Before You’re Ready

The instinct is to wait. To watch. To gather more information. But this shift isn’t slowing down—and clarity doesn’t come from thinking. It comes from doing.

You don’t need to be perfect. You need to be in motion.

The people who win in moments like this aren’t the ones who make the fewest mistakes. They’re the ones who try early, learn fast, and stay active while everyone else hesitates.

There’s no map. But there is momentum.

Make something. Ship it. Share it. Then make it better.

The Most Dangerous Move Is Inaction

It’s tempting to wait. To see how it all shakes out. To cling to what worked in the past.

But inaction is a decision too—and in this moment, it’s the one with the greatest cost.

The landscape has already shifted. Traffic patterns have changed. New habits are forming. The longer you wait to engage, the more momentum you give away.

You don’t need a perfect plan.

You need to participate.

The Future Belongs to Those Who Adapt

There’s no going back. And although that may feel like a loss, it’s an opportunity.

This moment rewards those willing to rethink, relearn, reimagine, and reengage.

You don’t need to predict the future. You just need to participate in it—actively, curiously, and consistently.

This is the moment to engage, not retreat. The question to ask yourself is: Will you stay on the sidelines—or get in the game?