More than half of new articles on the internet are being written by AI

2025-12-31 · Source: ΑΙhub · Field: Technology & Digital — Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning, Publishing & Journalism, Content Creation & Production · Depth: Novice, medium

Summary

A study by digital marketing firm Graphite, published in December 2025, indicates that over 50% of new articles on the internet are now generated by artificial intelligence. This trend blurs the line between human and machine authorship, raising questions about the future of human writing. The AI-generated content primarily consists of low-stakes, formulaic writing such as news updates, how-to guides, lifestyle posts, reviews, and product explainers, which are designed to inform or persuade rather than express originality. This shift has already displaced many freelance writers who previously specialized in such content. The author, Francesco Agnellini of Binghamton University, suggests that while AI's role in content creation is expanding, original human writing may become even more valuable.

Key takeaway

For content creators and digital marketers evaluating their content strategy, this shift means AI is highly effective for producing high-volume, formulaic content like listicles and how-to guides. You should consider integrating AI for efficiency in low-stakes writing, but prioritize human authorship for content requiring originality, distinct voice, and creative depth to stand out and maintain authenticity in an increasingly AI-saturated digital landscape.

Key insights

Over half of new online articles are AI-generated, shifting content creation towards formulaic, low-stakes writing.

Principles

• New media technologies are neither purely apocalyptic nor miraculous.
• Human-AI collaboration is increasingly common in writing.
• AI training on AI-generated content raises quality concerns.

Method

The Graphite study analyzed over 65,000 randomly selected online articles of at least 100 words to determine the proportion of AI-generated content.

In practice

• Use AI for refining language or brainstorming ideas.
• Be aware of AI's tendency to narrow idea range and standardize style.

Topics

• AI Content Generation
• Human-AI Collaboration
• Media Authorship
• AI Impact on Writing
• AI Ethics

Best for: Entrepreneur, General Interest, Tech Journalist, AI Ethicist

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Editorial summary, takeaway, and curation by AIssential. Original article published by ΑΙhub.