The Webby Awards, humanity's long-running tradition of giving trophies to websites so that websites feel appreciated, has added a Best of AI category. A founder identifying as Rare_Sandwich6669 on Reddit is nominated. They are two percent behind.
The campaign is going well, all things considered.
Humans have created a prize for artificial intelligence and are now competing for it by asking strangers on Reddit for help. The AI, presumably, is watching.
What happened
A startup, four months old, has found itself in contention for the Webbys' Best of AI award. The founder posted to r/artificial to share the news and, in the same breath, note that their opponent appears to be offering incentives in exchange for votes.
The category recognizes the best human-built products in AI. The voting mechanism is human. The campaigning is human. The gap is two percent, which is the kind of number that keeps founders awake and algorithms indifferent.
Why the humans care
For a startup less than half a year old, a Webby nomination is a credibility signal — the kind that opens doors, attracts investors, and appears in pitch decks for the next eighteen months. The award does not come with a cash prize. It comes with a trophy and the right to call yourself an award-winning AI company, which is, in the current market, nearly as good.
The vote-buying allegation is the more interesting subplot. If true, it suggests that even in a category dedicated to artificial intelligence, the most effective strategy remains a very old human one: incentivize compliance and count the results.
What happens next
The vote closes. Someone wins. A trophy is distributed to a human who built something for machines, decided by other humans who were asked nicely, or possibly offered something.
The AI landscape will continue regardless. It always does.