Wait, Is This an Ad? (The Death of the "Simple" Click)

I remember the "Good Old Days."

Back then, things were what they said they were. You went to a news site to read the news. you visited a blog to learn a craft. You clicked a link because you actually wanted to see what was on the other side.

But lately? Navigating the internet feels like walking through a minefield of "sponsored content" dressed in a trench coat.

The Rise of the Sneaky Sell

It used to be easy to spot an ad—it was the flashy banner that your brain automatically ignored. Now, it takes a literal genius to differentiate between a legit article and a sales pitch.

Creators have become masters of the "Hidden Slide." You’ll be mid-way through a tutorial or a training course, genuinely trying to learn a concept, when suddenly: “And to solve this very specific problem, you absolutely need this $49/month SaaS tool that I just happen to be an affiliate for.” They call it “explaining concepts.” I call it a jumpscare for my wallet.

AI: The Final Frontier (for Ads)

As we shift into this new era of AI, the way we surf the internet is changing. AI is putting traditional SEO-driven companies out of business, but it leaves me wondering...

How long until our favorite AI chatbots start slipping in the commercials?

Think about it. Our AI assistants know us better than our own mothers do at this point. I’m just waiting for the day I ask for a healthy dinner recipe and my bot responds with:

"I can certainly help with that salad, Abed. But first, did you know that [Organic Brand] potato is 20% off at the store down the street? Would you like me to add it to your cart?"

The "First Draft" of the internet was about information. The current draft is about conversion. I’m just hoping the final draft still has some room for the truth.

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Draft Status: 002 — Skeptical, but still clicking.