The Semantic Web extends the current Web with a semantic layer, which can be reasoned upon by semantic-aware agents. The idea is that this semantic layer will enable a greater degree of task automation and user support than is possible with the current Web. Here, the author speculates on the Semantic Web's implications for knowledge publishing and access, which will be brought about by the existence of massive amounts of semantic data on the Web. In particular, the author considers how an ontology-driven world might lead to the imposition of conceptual viewpoints on formal knowledge production, which might threaten the democratic nature of knowledge publishing on the Web. However, he also argues that this risk can be avoided if researchers exploit the inherent flexibility and "smartness" associated with semantic technologies and succeed in connecting the process of constructing the Semantic Web to the social dynamics shaping the current Web.This article is part of a special issue on the Future of AI.