The Web Is Dead, Long Live Intelligence: Sam Altman on the End of the Internet as We Know It

In a revealing conversation at the Bloomberg Technology Summit, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman dropped a quiet bombshell: “The web is already dead.” His reason? AI agents are increasingly bypassing the traditional internet, reshaping how humans access, interpret, and act on information.

What’s coming next isn’t just a smarter search engine, it’s a fully integrated intelligence layer that renders websites, apps, and perhaps even financial markets themselves, obsolete.

The Shift From Web to Agent

Altman describes a future where autonomous agents handle everything, from planning your next holiday to restructuring how businesses operate. In this reality, humans no longer “search” or “browse.” Instead, AI acts on their behalf, learning preferences, managing tasks, and deciding outcomes. The implications for traditional web infrastructure are existential.

Finance in the Firing Line

But Altman isn’t stopping at the consumer web. He believes the financial system is particularly vulnerable, with AI’s predictive capabilities poised to redefine market strategies and power dynamics. Legacy institutions may struggle to survive in a world where intelligence, not capital, becomes the primary competitive edge.

Where This Is All Headed

Asked whether OpenAI's mission still centres on AGI, Altman responds with a knowing smile: “Absolutely.” His vision is bold, perhaps even unsettling, but clear. We are entering a world where machines will not only inform us... they will act for us. And the platforms we once relied on may soon feel like relics of another age.