Matthew Prince, CEO of Cloudflare, cautioned at Web Summit 2025 that artificial intelligence could dramatically consolidate business, potentially leaving the world with only five major companies. He predicts that AI agents will transform the Internet business model, impacting media, content creators, small businesses, and brands.
Prince traced the Internet’s evolution—from the web to search engines, social networks, and mobile—and noted that previous shifts didn’t disrupt business models as profoundly as AI will. “I’m really worried that in the future there will be five companies. And I’m not just talking about AI companies. This is a consolidating force,” he said.
Using a reference from the 1960s cartoon The Jetsons, Prince compared AI agents to Rosie the robot, wrning that agency-driven commerce could disintermediate relationships with customers. He also criticized Google for leveraging its dominant position in search to benefit AI development without compensating content creators.
While he avoided specific comments on Portugal—where Cloudflare employs hundreds—Prince has previously criticized Lisbon’s airport and visa delays. His warning underscores the urgency of considering how AI reshapes the digital economy, competition, and content ownership.
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