Before artificial intelligence could mimic human language, it needed teachers. Not professors or programmers, but unpaid volunteers typing away from bedrooms, basements, and libraries. People like Steven Pruitt, Justin Knapp, and thousands of others who’ve spent their lives editing Wikipedia. Their reward? Little more than a username and, maybe, a thank-you from the internet they helped build.
Today, their collective effort has shaped not just the world’s largest encyclopedia, but the neural underpinnings of AI systems like ChatGPT and Google Gemini. Without them, machines would have nothing to say.
They Don’t Work for Google, But AI Reads What They Write
Wikipedia wasn’t designed to train machines. But as it turns out, its clean, structured language—fact-checked and cross-linked by humans—is exactly what large language models (LLMs) crave.
When OpenAI trained GPT-3, roughly 3% of its massive dataset came directly from Wikipedia. That may sound small, until you realize that amounts to billions of words. Similar models from Meta, Google, and Anthropic all rely on Wikipedia as one of their largest single knowledge sources.
These models are fed content from across the web. But most online text is messy; full of bias, marketing fluff, or half-formed grammar. Wikipedia stands out: consistent tone, citations, and a clear attempt at neutrality. It’s what gives AI a foundation of “known” facts before it starts predicting the unknown.
The People Behind the Pages
Steven Pruitt, known online as “Ser Amantio di Nicolao,” is responsible for more Wikipedia edits than anyone alive. Over 6 million, to be precise. He’s personally created more than 33,000 articles and has touched nearly one-third of the entire English-language Wikipedia. And he does it for free.
Pruitt, a Virginia native and history buff, works a government job by day. He spends evenings combing through outdated stubs and writing full biographies, especially of underrepresented women in history. In 2017, Time Magazine listed him among the most influential people on the internet. Yet he’s still anonymous to most.
Just behind him is Justin Knapp, better known as “Koavf.” In 2012, he became the first person ever to log a million Wikipedia edits. Jimmy Wales, the site’s co-founder, even declared April 20th “Justin Knapp Day.” Knapp, like Pruitt, isn’t a coder or researcher. He’s a philosophy graduate who edits because he believes in open knowledge.
There are many others: Serhiy Petrov in Ukraine, who used Wikipedia as a platform for truth during war. Editors in Arabic, Spanish, and German who’ve quietly built massive language editions. These are the real content creators of the web, and they’ve shaped more than just search results.
The AI Boom Runs on Human Edits
The paradox is striking: volunteers created Wikipedia so that humans could access verified, free knowledge. But now, the machines are the ones reading it at scale.
The Wikimedia Foundation is aware. It’s begun publishing Wikipedia snapshots specifically formatted for machine learning researchers (available via platforms like Kaggle and Hugging Face). Structured, open, and ready for algorithms. But there’s also unease. As one Wikimedia developer put it, “someone has to create the content in the first place, and it’s not cheap.”
AI companies build billion-dollar systems using free, volunteer-written text. And while Wikipedia’s mission remains to share knowledge freely, there’s growing recognition that these unpaid editors have helped build the scaffolding of machine intelligence.
Call it a quiet legacy. The top editors never set out to train AI, but their passion for reliable information made them unlikely architects of the digital future. Long before bots could write, these humans did the hard work … and we’re all still learning from it!
Steven Pruitt: The Unsung Architect of Wikipedia’s Vast Knowledge Base
A Relentless Contributor to the Digital Commons
Steven Pruitt, born on April 17, 1984, in San Antonio, Texas, has quietly become one of the most influential figures in the digital age—not through viral tweets or tech entrepreneurship, but by dedicating his time to editing Wikipedia. Operating under the pseudonym “Ser Amantio di Nicolao,” a nod to a minor character in Puccini’s opera Gianni Schicchi, Pruitt has made over 6.5 million edits and created more than 33,000 articles on the English Wikipedia. His contributions account for at least one edit on one-third of all English Wikipedia articles, a testament to his commitment to freely accessible knowledge.
In 2017, Time magazine recognized Pruitt as one of the “25 Most Influential People on the Internet,” highlighting his significant role in shaping the platform that millions rely on daily.
A Mission to Address Gender Bias
Beyond sheer volume, Pruitt’s edits reflect a conscious effort to address systemic biases within Wikipedia. He is an active participant in the “Women in Red” project, which aims to increase the representation of women on the platform. To date, he has created over 600 articles about notable women, contributing to a gradual increase in the percentage of biographical articles about women on Wikipedia.
Pruitt’s dedication to inclusivity underscores the importance of diverse representation in digital knowledge repositories. His work ensures that the contributions of women and other underrepresented groups are acknowledged and accessible to a global audience.
Balancing Passion with Professional Life
While Pruitt’s Wikipedia contributions are voluntary, his professional life complements his commitment to information management. He has worked as a records manager for U.S. Customs and Border Protection and, more recently, for the Defense Health Agency through Chenega IT Enterprise Services.
Outside of his professional and Wikipedia endeavors, Pruitt is a member of the Capitol Hill Chorale, reflecting his lifelong passion for opera and classical music—a passion instilled by his parents during his upbringing.
Steven Pruitt’s unwavering dedication to expanding and diversifying the content on Wikipedia exemplifies the profound impact that individual contributors can have on collective knowledge. His work not only enriches the platform but also ensures that it evolves to represent a more inclusive and comprehensive view of history and culture.
Justin Knapp: The First Million-Edit Wikipedian and His Complex Legacy
A Record-Breaking Volunteer
Justin Anthony Knapp, known online as “Koavf,” made history in April 2012 by becoming the first person to surpass one million edits on Wikipedia. This milestone was achieved through an average of 385 edits per day since he began contributing in March 2005. Knapp’s dedication earned him recognition from Wikipedia co-founder Jimmy Wales, who declared April 20 as “Justin Knapp Day” in his honor.
Knapp’s contributions span a wide range of topics, including significant work on the bibliography of George Orwell and the categorization of music albums. His commitment to the platform exemplifies the impact that dedicated volunteers can have on the accessibility and organization of information online.
Beyond Wikipedia: Advocacy and Employment
Outside of his Wikipedia endeavors, Knapp has been involved in activism and various employment roles. In 2005, he spoke at the United Nations Sixtieth General Assembly, advocating for the Sahrawi people and addressing issues related to Western Sahara. He also participated in organizing a “Restore the Fourth” rally in 2013, focusing on government surveillance concerns.
Professionally, Knapp has held several positions, including delivering pizzas, working at a grocery store, and staffing a crisis hotline. These roles reflect the diverse experiences of many contributors who support open-source knowledge platforms while managing various aspects of their personal and professional lives.
Recent Challenges and Community Dynamics
Despite his substantial contributions, Knapp’s relationship with the Wikipedia community has faced challenges. As of July 2024, he is serving a minimum one-year ban from editing Wikipedia due to “persistent disruptive and combative behavior over a prolonged period,” which has tested the community’s patience.
This development highlights the complexities of maintaining collaborative environments in large-scale, volunteer-driven projects. While Knapp’s dedication to Wikipedia is undeniable, his recent ban underscores the importance of adhering to community guidelines and fostering constructive interactions among contributors.
Justin Knapp’s journey illustrates the profound impact that individual volunteers can have on collective knowledge repositories. His achievements and challenges serve as a reminder of the delicate balance between personal passion and community collaboration in the digital age.
