A Web for People, by People

The evolution of generative AI continues unabated and is advancing rapidly. The race for both development and market share is intensifying, with OpenAI's ChatGPT, Microsoft's Copilot, and Google's Gemini literally competing head-to-head.

Of all the news about generative AI, the most recent announcement of GPT-4o was particularly astonishing. The demonstration of a real-time voice conversation was very authentic and comparable to an actual conversation between people. With this, it's evident that extremely complex and sophisticated processing is being realized at high speed.

While expectations for generative AI continue to be high, we are also hearing about the negative aspects of the technology. For example, with the rise of generative AI, problems related to disinformation, or so-called "fake news," seem to be increasingly more acute.

Due to generative AI, without requiring specialist knowledge or technical skillsets, it's currently relatively straightforward to create and publish fake text, images, and videos that "look" real. As a result, nowadays, it's becoming increasingly difficult to clearly determine the truth or falsity of the information we encounter on the web.

"The Web is losing its former luster and becoming less fit for purpose" ..... I feel that I'm reading and hearing such opinions with increased frequency. However, fake news using generative AI isn't the only factor that can be cited as contributing to the "deterioration" of the web into a difficult-to-use entity.

Take, for example, dark patterns. This term refers to techniques employed in the UI which are intended to deceive and cheat users. Such techniques are increasingly being viewed as an issue on the web - even to the extent that they featured on NHK's current affairs show "Today's Close-Up" a short while ago (What is a Dark Pattern? Thinking about the dangers and cautions of online shopping - NHK Today's Close-Up Full Transcript (in Japanese)). So, the number of web-related issues and problems is on the rise.

Aside from the individual issues and challenges, I've also seen a number of opinions and calls for restoring the original charm and wonder of the web, as if in response to the claim that the web has become useless. My favorite is Michelle Barker's Manifesto for a Humane Web. Below is an excerpt of the first two paragraphs -

The web is becoming hostile to humans. Users are tracked and their privacy is routinely violated. Search results are populated with ads. We are constantly spammed by bots. Generative AI threatens to turn previously useful public forums into soulless marketing soup, while sacrificing the livelihoods of the creators that unwittingly power them. Power-hungry data centres demand the burning of fossil fuels, and divert water and energy from communities, emitting tonnes of carbon in order to power this digital junkyard. Users abandon hostile websites that take too long to load on low-powered devices, or are forced to upgrade, as the pile of electronic waste grows.

We need a web by and for humans.

To what extent one agrees with Mr. Barker's assertion is up to the individual, but I strongly agree with and take seriously the closing words "we need a web by and for humans." It's been over 35 years since the birth of the web, but there has never been a time when creators have been required to be as conscious as they are now of creating a web "by people, for people."

While not limited to the web, I believe it's clear that both legal advancement and ethical education haven't kept pace with the evolution and spread of technology. Therefore, I believe that until we catch up (or, at least, close the gap), those of us who are involved in the web industry as creators must take the initiative and aim for a web "by people, for people".