Are We Even Talking to Humans Online Anymore (The Age of Bots)?

Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI, recently had a realization that’s becoming harder to ignore: social media doesn’t feel human anymore.

Scrolling through Reddit, he noticed a flood of posts praising OpenAI’s Codex tool.

At first glance, it looked like a wave of genuine excitement. But then came the doubt: were these posts written by real people, or were they bots? Or maybe even humans writing like bots without realizing it?

That’s the strange new reality of social media: it’s harder than ever to tell the difference.

Humans Who Sound Like AI

Altman pointed out something interesting. Even real people are starting to pick up the quirks of “AI-speak.” You’ve probably seen it too: posts that feel a little too polished, a little too repetitive, almost like they were generated. Add to that the way online communities move in sync, and suddenly, entire subreddits can start sounding like they’re written by the same brain.

Online Bots, Hype, and Money

Of course, it’s not just about language. Engagement is currency. Social platforms thrive when posts go viral, creators earn more when engagement is high, and companies sometimes “astroturf,” planting fake hype to boost their products. Mix in millions of online bots, and suddenly your feed feels more like a marketing battlefield than a place to connect with people.

According to Imperva, over half of all internet traffic in 2024 wasn’t even human. That means when you’re scrolling through X or Reddit, odds are you’re interacting with bots more often than actual people.

The Fallout of AI Everywhere

Social media has always had a bot problem, but AI has turned the volume way up. Posts, comments, and entire accounts can be generated by AI. What’s worse is that these fake interactions don’t just mess with our feeds; they affect how we trust information, how we relate to each other, and even how we see ourselves online.

It’s no wonder platforms feel “fake” compared to just a few years ago.

So, Where Do We Go From Here?

The bigger question is: what kind of internet do we want to live in?

Do we want spaces where it’s impossible to know if you’re talking to a bot, a brand, or a real person? Or do we need platforms that prioritize human connection above engagement?

At Socialode, we’re building toward that second future, a place where conversations are real, protected, and rooted in genuine connection. Because if the internet continues to drift toward a bot-driven blur, we risk losing the thing that made it magical in the first place: people.