Nilay called it back in 2024, and now the Gray Lady is on board with recognizing the demise of the open web. It takes a look at how Google went from being a gateway to the internet to becoming the internet for many users who never leave the cozy confines of its AI summaries. [Link: Google Is Building an A.I. Fence Around the Internet It Once Championed | https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/20/technology/google-ai-open-web.html?unlocked_article_code=1.zVA.L7zf._L5VDoBJCS4f&smid=url-share | New York Times]

As the web giant incorporates more artificial intelligence into search, people are spending more time on Google. Some website operators are crying foul.

Nilay called it back in 2024, and now the Gray Lady is on board with recognizing the demise of the open web. It takes a look at how Google went from being a gateway to the…