Key points
- Ohanian expects group chats to replace traditional user-generated content platforms.
- Seven Seven Six manages over $1.3 billion in assets, focusing on sports and real communities.
- Reddit shares fell 29 percent after warning that Google’s AI search hurt referral traffic.
According to the source material, Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian told WIRED senior correspondent Lauren Goode at the inaugural WIRED World Fair that building social media applications is not cool anymore.reported He argues that the current state of the internet is heavily compromised, making traditional social platforms less appealing for developers and users alike.Ohanian believes the internet is too manipulated by bots to make traditional social apps appealing.Ohanian asserts that the cultural viability of social media development has eroded due to AI-driven content saturation.
The figures
Seven Seven Six, the venture capital firm run by Ohanian, manages over $1.3 billion in assets, according to the published report Reddit shares dropped by 29 percent in the week preceding the report, following a warning from the platform about traffic losses.reported
Behind the figures
The share decline was reported after Reddit warned that Google’s AI-powered search features were reducing referral traffic to the site.reported Ohanian’s asset figure reflects the current scale of his investment firm, which focuses on sectors like sports to find authentic human communities.
What changes, what does not
Ohanian suggests that user interfaces and experiences may fade as the internet shifts toward content created for AI agents rather than humans. He notes that large language models have accelerated the Dead Internet Theory, where bot-generated activity outpaces human participation.
What builders can do with it
Developers should consider that traditional social media architectures may be losing cultural and economic viability. Ohanian indicates that future user-generated content might centre on group chats rather than broad public feeds. Builders must account for an internet where significant content is generated by agents, requiring new interfaces for machine-to-machine interaction rather than human-centric design. The value of human conversation archives remains high for training models, but trust and engagement are eroding.
Why it matters
- Developers face a shifting landscape where traditional social media apps are no longer seen as cool or culturally relevant by industry leaders.
- The rise of AI agents suggests a future where user interfaces may diminish in favour of agent-focused internet infrastructure.
- Platforms like Reddit are seeing financial impact from AI search changes, indicating broader business model risks for content sites.
- The need for provable humanity online without intrusive methods presents a design challenge for future identity verification systems.
Topics: social media, AI agents, user-generated content, venture capital, Reddit
Updated
Then / now / next
Ohanian viewed Reddit tattoos as a sign of success when he was active at the company.
He acknowledges that users are covering up those tattoos, reflecting a negative shift in the platform’s reputation.
Developers and investors should watch for new social formats, such as group chats, that may emerge as the next wave of user-generated content.
Story timeline
- Then Ohanian viewed Reddit tattoos as a sign of success when he was active at the company.
- 05 Nov 2026 Reddit Founder Says Building Social Media Apps Is ‘Not Cool Anymore’
- Now He acknowledges that users are covering up those tattoos, reflecting a negative shift in the platform’s reputation.
- Next Developers and investors should watch for new social formats, such as group chats, that may emerge as the next wave of user-generated content.
The strongest doubt
Counterpoint from the sources
Reddit has licensed its content to AI companies, making it valuable for model training, though this commercialisation is also undermining its business model.
For readers
Developers
- Consider shifting focus from traditional social feeds to group-chat-based architectures for future user engagement.
- Design for agent-to-agent interactions as Ohanian suggests the internet will increasingly serve AI agents.
Investors
- Monitor the financial impact of AI search on content platforms, as seen in Reddit’s 29 percent share drop.
- Explore investments in real-world communities, such as sports, which Ohanian sees as resilient against AI slop.
Policy
- Evaluate the need for non-intrusive methods to prove human identity online as bot activity increases.
- Assess the implications of AI scraping and licensing deals on content platform sustainability and user trust.
Ask the article
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Your choice stays on this device. No public tally.Questions readers ask
Why does Ohanian think social media apps are not cool anymore?
He believes the internet is compromised by AI-generated content and bots, making traditional social platforms less appealing and authentic.
How has AI affected Reddit’s business?
Reddit shares fell 29 percent after the company warned that Google’s AI search was reducing referral traffic to the platform.
What does Ohanian predict for the future of user interfaces?
He suggests that user interfaces may go away as the internet becomes more focused on content created for AI agents rather than humans.
Connected stories
Reading receipt
- Ohanian expects group chats to replace traditional user-generated content platforms.
- Seven Seven Six manages over $1.3 billion in assets, focusing on sports and real communities.
- Reddit shares fell 29 percent after warning that Google’s AI search hurt referral traffic.