What will the web look like if these LLM bots become users' primary interface (rather than traditional websites)?
Do the majority of websites disappear?
Will monetized MCP servers become a new version of websites?
Are mobile apps even more critical now, as the app store is the last place for discovery?
Curious to hear your predictions, worries, or hopeful takes!
I run a book discovery website (https://shepherd.com) where people share books they love, and we try to unearth great books people haven't heard about. We've seen our traffic from Google drop massively as Google replaces search results with its AI chatbot. We get direct traffic from our fans, but without Google introducing us to new people, I'm worried there won't be any discovery. As a result... I'm working to launch a mobile app with a full reader app.
Any advice for me?
pickledoyster•8mo ago
At this point, I'd expect a further move towards walled gardens to reduce competition (harder to scrape, copy, etc.) and increase the barrier for entry to new players: it's going to be even more pay to play than it is now.
I don't expect the Web to die, websites will stay a thing, but how they are discovered and used will undoubtedly shift. E.g., relying on tricks to get search traffic is a waste of time if nobody uses search.
Hopeful take: other protocols take more prominence. Disruptions and a fracture or two might help the Internet stay useful.
bwb•8mo ago
Any "out there" ideas on where discovery shifts?
i.e., I built something cool, I do a Show HN, but how do other people find it in the future?