VerticalScope Inc Headed toward Bankruptcy?

Max Fridman said:
www.theverge.com

AI Mode is obviously the future of Google Search

The internet’s biggest search engine is going to be unrecognizable in just a few years.
www.theverge.com www.theverge.com

Google announced "AI Mode" yesterday coming to US users.

Basically you get AI responses for every query (even longer ones) like ChatGPT or Gemini does already. Like AI Overviews but personalized.



I feel like question and answer forums are basically doomed long term, you need to provide different value to your users, the death of StackOverflow is another signal of this change.

What value forums could provide long term?
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I’m guessing human confirmation of the AI answers they received lol. And from the looks of it with VS, hope that even that is actually a human response.
 
Chris2 said:
They bought Marshallforum.com recently. From briefly visiting, I could immediately tell members weren’t very happy about it.
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I believe it was one of many music/gear related forums owned by Enthused Digital. My understanding is VerticalScope are in the process of buying that company. In fact it's probably a done deal because Enthused Digital's main site is currently off-line.
 
Chris2 said:
I’m guessing human confirmation of the AI answers they received lol. And from the looks of it with VS, hope that even that is actually a human response.
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Forums will surely become something other than simply answering questions, trivially looking for topics that an artificial intelligence cannot cover or viewpoints that need human opinion.

For example in the fashion world, judging what looks good together or whether an outfit is made well on a quality level.

Even more specific answers will also be sought in the evaluation of a job, artificial intelligence does not currently have great critique capabilities.

Paradoxically, the death of StackOverflow is indicative of this. But forums still have room to exist, as we see from reddit.

Although manipulations are beginning to be evident (especially on Reddit) and Google is trying to emancipate itself. In fact they are testing a “forum” feature for AI Mode.
 
I don't know about you all but in my niche, forums have never been only about answering questions. The most valuable thing a forum does is facilitate the creation of a community where people feel they belong and where human interaction happens, in spite of great distances in between. AI will never match this personal connection.

Also, my niche has very nuanced answers that require as much "art" and "hands-on experience" as it does just general knowledge. You know, many ways to skin a cat thing. It is unlikely that AI will provide that any time soon.

Based on the above, I am thinking about AI as a big positive for me and my forum.

That said, if I had a Facebook Group that was mostly just superficial question/answer based, I would definitely be worried with AI and Google changes.

The issue, IMHO, with companies like the one we are discussing, is that they remove the personal touch/community from the forum. This will expose them to AI challenges. Again, IMO.
 
ArtG said:
I don't know about you all but in my niche, forums have never been only about answering questions. The most valuable thing a forum does is facilitate the creation of a community where people feel they belong and where human interaction happens, in spite of great distances in between. AI will never match this personal connection.

Also, my niche has very nuanced answers that require as much "art" and "hands-on experience" as it does just general knowledge. You know, many ways to skin a cat thing. It is unlikely that AI will provide that any time soon.

Based on the above, I am thinking about AI as a big positive for me and my forum.

That said, if I had a Facebook Group that was mostly just superficial question/answer based, I would definitely be worried with AI and Google changes.

The issue, IMHO, with companies like the one we are discussing, is that they remove the personal touch/community from the forum. This will expose them to AI challenges. Again, IMO.
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The only thing that could change and lead to zero click results is AI swallowing and processing informations from forums en-masse, more than what they do today. But is true only for some type of searches I guess.

Humans on the internet still search other humans not bots.
 
Screenshot 2025-06-17 161332.webp


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Just wondering what you consider doing great. I checked your profile and I am a registered member of your forum.

I joined while I was working on a Y block in a Sunliner.

You've been going for 24 years, my forum will be celebrating its 30th anniversary next year.
 
23 years for me....16 fulltime.

Turned down my first VS offer around 2010. Their end game remains the same.

I know a few admins that have sold, all due to changes in life priorities (family, hobbies, etc). Everyone's time comes at some point.
 
My forum is 25 next year, I created it in 2001.
VS made their first offer in 2012 and have made contact 3 or 4 times since.
I’m fast approaching 64 so I guess the time is getting nearer to letting go…. but it will be a tough decision to make.
 
Charlie G said:
My forum is 25 next year, I created it in 2001.
VS made their first offer in 2012 and have made contact 3 or 4 times since.
I’m fast approaching 64 so I guess the time is getting nearer to letting go…. but it will be a tough decision to make.
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We are the same age. I also turned down offers from VS, IB and others. I felt that I was leaving a lot on the table if I were not to stick it out and continue to earn a yearly income from my site. I believe my first offers began around 2006. Since then I have earned much more than I could have sold out for.
 
rickhz said:
We are the same age. I also turned down offers from VS, IB and others. I felt that I was leaving a lot on the table if I were not to stick it out and continue to earn a yearly income from my site. I believe my first offers began around 2006. Since then I have earned much more than I could have sold out for.
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Keep it. Unless you move to proboards.com that has the layout you want but eventually overmoderates your forum. 😂
 

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