Unlocking the Evolution of Wikipedia: A 25-Year Journey
Wikipedia transcends its roots as an online encyclopedia; it represents the most successful open data project ever. Here are key insights from its remarkable journey:
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Origins: Launched in 2001, Wikipedia quickly surpassed its predecessor, Nupedia, by allowing anyone to contribute, resulting in rapid growth and extensive multilingual content with over 6 million English articles today.
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Community Reliance: Powered by volunteers, Wikipedia remains ad-free. Its self-correcting nature fosters a reliable information source, despite ongoing challenges with bias and edit wars.
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AI Impact: As artificial intelligence reshapes information retrieval, Wikipedia faces unique threats, including declining user engagement due to emerging platforms like ChatGPT.
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Future Prospects: Emphasizing innovation, the Wikimedia Foundation explores mobile tools and AI-enhanced editing while maintaining a focus on human insight.
Wikipedia illustrates how collective trust can thrive.
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