Kevin Kelly: The next 5,000 days of the web

Summary

The speaker reflects on the rapid evolution of the internet and web in less than 5,000 days, highlighting the astonishing growth from satellite images to a global machine. He envisions a future where devices become portals to this 'One Machine,' predicting increased interconnectivity, intelligence, and personalization. The Web will evolve beyond pages to link data, demanding openness in data sharing. The speaker emphasizes the importance of viewing this development holistically, as it becomes an integral part of our lives, suggesting a codependent relationship with a system that will know us well and anticipate our needs.

Takeaways

• 🌐 The Internet and the Web are relatively young, being less than 5,000 days old, yet have already transformed our lives dramatically.
• 📈 In a short span of 10 years, the Web has evolved from an unimaginable concept to an indispensable part of our daily lives, challenging previous economic models.
• 🤖 The idea of a single, global machine is emerging, where all devices act as portals into a unified system, indicating a shift towards a more interconnected world.
• 🔗 The Web is restructuring into a 'semantic Web' where data is linked directly, enabling a more intelligent and interactive experience.
• 🧠 The Web's complexity and size are becoming comparable to the human brain, suggesting a future where its processing power could exceed that of humanity.
• 🔑 Transparency and personalization will be key in the new era of the Web, with the trade-off being the sharing of personal data for customized experiences.
• 🌐 The concept of an 'Internet of things' is introduced, where every physical object is connected and part of the global machine, blurring the line between the digital and physical worlds.
• 📚 The value in the new media landscape is shifting towards authenticity, personalization, and immediacy, challenging traditional notions of media value.
• 🤝 The Web is becoming an extension of our senses, with human input becoming integral to its functioning, suggesting a co-evolution of humans and technology.
• ⏱️ The pace of innovation and integration of the Web into all aspects of life is accelerating,预示着未来社会结构和日常生活方式的深刻变革。

Q & A

How old is the Internet and the Web as described in the script?

The script states that the Internet and the Web as we know it is less than 5,000 days old.

What is the significance of the number 5,000 days in the context of the script?

The number 5,000 days is used to mark the rapid evolution and growth of the Internet and the Web, highlighting the incredible advancements and changes that have occurred in such a relatively short period of time.

What does the speaker find 'amazing' about the current state of the Internet?

The speaker finds it amazing that despite the incredible amount of content and services available on the Internet, we are not amazed by it, and that all of this has come into existence within just 5,000 days.

What was the initial economic model prediction for the Internet 10 years prior to the script?

Ten years prior to the script, it was believed that the economic model for the Internet was impossible, as it was thought that the abundance of free content and services could not be sustained.

What is the concept of 'one machine' mentioned in the script?

The 'one machine' concept refers to the idea that all the computers, handhelds, cell phones, laptops, and servers are interconnected, effectively forming a single, global machine.

Why is the 'one machine' considered the most reliable machine ever made?

The 'one machine' is considered the most reliable because it has not crashed and runs uninterrupted, which is unprecedented for a machine running for 5,000 days.

What are some of the dimensions or specifications of this 'one machine'?

The script lists specifications such as 170 quadrillion transistors, 55 trillion links, two million emails per second, 246 exabyte storage, and seven terabytes per second of total traffic.

How does the speaker compare the 'one machine' to the human brain?

The speaker compares the 'one machine' to the human brain in terms of complexity and size, noting that the machine's number of synapses and neurons are on par with those in the human brain.

What are the three consequences the speaker predicts for the next 5,000 days?

The three consequences predicted are: 1) The machine will be given a body, 2) The architecture of the machine will be restructured, and 3) Humans will become completely codependent on the machine.

What does the speaker mean by 'embodied' in the context of the machine?

By 'embodied,' the speaker means that the machine will have a physical presence or representation in the world, with devices like smartphones and IoT devices acting as extensions of this global machine.

What is the concept of 'semantic Web' or 'Web 3.0' mentioned in the script?

The 'semantic Web' or 'Web 3.0' refers to the next stage of the Internet's evolution where data is linked directly, enabling the Web to understand and interpret the meaning behind the information, rather than just linking pages.