This article is verges a bit much the ad side for the author. However, part me like the idea of a lot fluffy commerce stuff leaving the internet and it just being a giant library of information. However, that's not happening especially since a lot commerce websites also post information. I also don't see how chat functionality would cause such a shift? If you are wanting to reduce the amount questions your website is generating maybe add more content to it. I hate how so many "modern designed" websites are so light on information. They just end up as fancy brochures with little to no information. Give me data sheets, give me all the details I could possible want about your product/s.