Predictions of the end of Wikipedia

"Will Wikipedia exist in 20 years?", a 2017 discussion between academic Yochai Benkler and Wikimedia Foundation executive director Katherine Maher

Various observers have predicted the end of Wikipedia since it rose to prominence, with potential pitfalls from lack of quality-control or inconsistencies among contributors.

Alternative online encyclopedias have been proposed as replacements for Wikipedia, including WolframAlpha,[1] as well as the both now-defunct Knol (from Google)[2][3] and Owl (from AOL).[4] A 2013 review raised alarms regarding Wikipedia's shortcomings on hoaxes, on vandalism, an imbalance of material, and inadequate quality control of articles.[5] Earlier critiques lamented the vulgar content and absence of sufficient references in articles.[6] Others suggest that the unwarranted deletion of useful articles from Wikipedia may portend its end, which itself inspired the creation of Deletionpedia.[7][8]

Contrary to such predictions, Wikipedia has constantly grown in both size and influence.[9][10][11][12] Recent developments with artificial intelligence in Wikimedia projects have prompted new predictions that AI applications which consume free and open content will replace Wikipedia.[13]

  1. ^ Dawson, Christopher (17 May 2009). "Wolfram Alpha: Wikipedia killer?". ZDNet. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on 26 October 2021.
  2. ^ Helft, Miguel (23 July 2008). "Wikipedia, Meet Knol". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 24 October 2017. Retrieved 23 October 2017.
  3. ^ Dawson, Christopher (28 July 2008). "Google Knol – Yup, it's a Wikipedia killer". ZDNet. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on 15 May 2021.
  4. ^ Techcrunch (18 January 2010). "Is Owl AOL's Wikipedia-Killer?". www.mediapost.com. Archived from the original on 24 October 2017. Retrieved 23 October 2017.
  5. ^ Simonite, Tom (22 October 2013). "The Decline of Wikipedia". MIT Technology Review. Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
  6. ^ Dawson, Christopher (9 December 2008). "Will Virgin Killer be a Wikipedia killer?". ZDNET. CBS Interactive.
  7. ^ Sankin, Aaron (29 December 2013). "Archive of deleted Wikipedia articles reveals site's imperfections". The Daily Dot. Archived from the original on 10 September 2018. Retrieved 13 December 2019. Wikipedia, which has an entry on fart jokes, still deems some topics unworthy of inclusion.
  8. ^ "Main Page - Deletionpedia.org". Deletionpedia. Archived from the original on 18 August 2022. Retrieved 20 August 2022.
  9. ^ "Wikipedia is 20, and its reputation has never been higher". The Economist. 9 January 2021. ISSN 0013-0613. Retrieved 2 April 2021.
  10. ^ Gebelhoff, Robert (19 October 2016). "Opinion: Science shows Wikipedia is the best part of the Internet". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Archived from the original on 12 October 2017. Retrieved 6 December 2023.
  11. ^ Cooke, Richard (17 February 2020). "Wikipedia Is the Last Best Place on the Internet". Wired. Retrieved 24 November 2021.
  12. ^ Greene, Tristan (20 September 2017). "Forget what your school says, MIT research proves Wikipedia is a source for science". The Next Web. Retrieved 2 April 2021.
  13. ^ Gertner, Jon (18 July 2023). "Wikipedia's Moment of Truth". The New York Times.