Decoder with Nilay Patel Sir Tim Berners-Lee doesn’t think AI will destroy the web
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Nov 10, 2025 
In a fascinating conversation, Sir Tim Berners-Lee, the inventor of the World Wide Web, shares insights from his memoir and his work with Inrupt, focused on decentralization. He discusses the web's origins and current challenges, contrasting addictive platforms like TikTok with his vision for an open web. Tim explores the potential of AI as a unifying standard but expresses doubts about industry cooperation. He emphasizes the importance of users controlling their data and outlines the future of personalized AIs and data wallets, advocating for interoperability and regulatory solutions.
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AI Lacks A Unifying Governance Body
- There's no global coordinating body for AI like the W3C or CERN to unify standards and safety.
- Tim doubts major AI players will willingly accept constraints without new cooperative institutions.
Agents Threaten Web's Economic Flow
- Agentic, AI-first browsing excites innovation but threatens the web's ad-driven economic flow.
- Tim worries summaries that bypass site visits could collapse the existing monetization model.
Give AIs Access To Personal Data Wallets
- Build AIs that work for users by giving them access to personal data in private wallets.
- Tim advocates personal-data wallets so assistants can act in users' best interests rather than external services'.
