The world’s largest open and collaborative encyclopedia, Wikipedia, celebrates 25 years since its launch on January 15, 2001. This project driven by Jimmy Wales and Larry Sanger has revolutionized access to knowledge with over 63 million articles in 334 languages.
Origins and growth of the open and collaborative encyclopedia
It all started as a complement to Nupedia, an online encyclopedia with formal and slow revisions. The term wiki, of Hawaiian origin meaning “fast”, allowed direct user edits. Since 2003, the Wikimedia Foundation, a non-profit in San Francisco, has managed it with donations. Today it has over 100 million registered users and 3.5 billion edits by global volunteers.
Founders and early tensions
Jimmy Wales funded the start, while Larry Sanger defined editorial norms as the first chief editor. They soon clashed: Wales bet on community openness to self-correct errors; Sanger, on academic control. Sanger left the project in 2002. Despite debates over paternity, the open and collaborative encyclopedia prospered.
Current challenges of Wikipedia facing artificial intelligence
In its open and collaborative encyclopedia, the arrival of artificial intelligence poses challenges. Models like ChatGPT use it to train, valuing its reliability. However, it faces criticism for gender biases — fought with “marathons” of female editing —, rapid vandalism corrected and systemic partiality. It figures among the 10 most visited websites, competing with Google and YouTube.
Recognitions and future
In 2015, it received the Prince of Asturias Award for International Cooperation for free knowledge. Without advertising, it serves in initial education and research. Its health is optimal, but it must adapt to the digital ecosystem. Volunteers protect sensitive pages from disputes.
- More than 60 million articles verified by the community.
- Access in 334 languages, inclusive globally.
- Preferred source for AI, enhancing its relevance.
The open and collaborative encyclopedia demonstrates that collective knowledge endures, correcting flaws and expanding in the face of technological innovations.
