The Dead Internet Theory posits that humans no longer drive a significant amount of online activity and have been taken over by AI-generated content. People argue that since around 2016-2017, the internet has been overtaken by AI or bots of some sort, completely ridding it of genuine human interaction. This perspective was made by reports indicating a substantial presence of non-human traffic online. For example, a study by the security firm Imperva revealed that automated programs accounted for 52% of web traffic, suggesting that bots were responsible for more than half of all internet activity.

Here is some more evidence of someone having experience with bots in a very chilling way. Bots interacted with each other. A streamer called Destiny was going about his day streaming until he realized that bots were talking to each other in his chat. He then proceeded to do more digging, he found out people were interacting with each other on Twitter. It gets even deeper when he finds a YouTube channel that seems to be real, but it is just AI. It even tried faking court documents for a completely fake court case. 

Further evidence supporting the theory includes the increase in AI-generated content on social media. In 2024, Facebook experienced a surge in viral AI-generated images, such as multiple versions of “Shrimp Jesus,” which also gained significant engagement, often accompanied by numerous automated comments expressing sentiments like “Amen.”. Additionally, platforms such as TikTok have begun integrating virtual content creators, blurring the lines between human and AI-generated content. These developments have led some to question the authenticity of online interactions, fueling discussions about the Dead Internet Theory.