Former Wired writer says AI shifts value from influencers to credentialed experts
A 1990s internet newsletter creator argues that generative AI has reduced the value of general online personalities while increasing demand for verified domain knowledge. The piece cites one parenting platform that sold over 100,000 subscriptions to an AI trained on its founder's material.
FortuneA contributor to Fortune described how the internet's earliest newsletter creators operated when roughly 16 million people were online. The writer recalled publishing a monthly email titled Meme that reached 4,400 subscribers in the mid-1990s. The article states that social media later scaled content volume while reducing provenance, leading audiences to seek recognizable individual voices during the 2020 pandemic.
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Becky Kennedy's Good Inside platform, which offers subscribers 24/7 access to an AI model trained solely on her clinical material. The platform reportedly sold more than 100,000 subscriptions and generated $34 million in revenue last year after raising $10 million.
The commentary concludes that smaller AI models trained on narrow bodies of work can preserve distinct perspectives while scaling access to specialized knowledge.
Key Facts
Story Timeline
4 events- Mid-1990s
Writer published monthly email newsletter Meme to 4,400 subscribers.
1 sourceFortune - Spring 2020
Pandemic increased demand for online health and survival guidance.
1 sourceFortune - November 2022
ChatGPT reached 100 million users, expanding machine-generated content.
1 sourceFortune - 2025
Dr. Becky Kennedy's Good Inside platform reported $34 million revenue.
1 sourceFortune
Potential Impact
- 01
Platforms offering domain-specific AI models may see increased subscription revenue.
- 02
Smaller AI models trained on proprietary expert content could expand commercial use.
- 03
General-audience influencers may face reduced demand for low-stakes topics.
Transparency Panel
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