We are rapidly moving towards the next generation Internet. The evolution is happening before our eyes. It is clear that we will see a digital world that is run by AI agents. What is not so clear is exactly how this will look.
There is still great debate whether we are moving closer to utopia where humanity sees major benefit from this technology versus the dystopian scenario put forth by Hollywood.
While I think The Terminator scenario is off the table, that does not mean we are necessarily dealing with roses and sunshine. A digital world that is fully under the control of Big Tech could serve to enslave society in ways we never imagined. It is becoming known the psychological manipulation that major social media platforms utilize.
With more advanced technology, what is possible?
If this is something that is unappealing, perhaps it is time to look closely at how this is forming.
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Agentic Internet: The Most Data Wins
Data. Data. Data.
This is the new currency. Actually, that isn't 100% accurate since the new currency could well be the ability to power the equipment to process the data. Nevertheless, without the data, companies, initiatives, and platforms are screwed.
AI agents will be the main performers with the next generation Internet. This is something that is important to consider.
Who is going to be in control of these? Along the same lines, who will have a hand in their development?
Are we going to depend upon ChatGPT, X, or Google? How about Anthropic (Amazon), NVIDIA, or Meta?
As we can see, everywhere we look, Big Tech is inserting themselves. We are looking at a game of trillions dollar players. To say this is out of the league of most of us is a major understatement.
So what is the defense against a Big Tech future?
Decentralization Is The Counter
As always, decentralization is the counter. Big Tech, like most centralized entities, cannot stand up to decentralized entities. This is why governments are coming down hard on cryptocurrency. It is a decentralized monetary system which rivals what they have built. The problem is the inability to control it.
In my view, this is a benefit to humanity.
The same is true with an "agentic internet". I detest the idea of being at the mercy of these behemoths. To counter this, rapid expansion outside those platforms is crucial. The more we keep feeding the beast, the worse it gets.
Fortunately, we do have choices.
With the introduction of Web 3.0, i.e. blockchain networks, we see a new data structure that can greatly benefit humanity. Instead of being designed using the traditional client-server architecture, we see the potential of permissionless databases starting to crop up.
Once again, the key is always data.
The value in these networks is the democratization of data. An "agentic internet" means that trillions of tokens worth of data will be required. We know corporations such as Meta have access to this. OpenAi is furiously trying to strike deals with publishers to keep feeding their system.
Who is going to feed the smaller entities?
It is the crux of the entire decentralized conversation. Without data, you are nothing. That is how things are unfolding.
Do You Want To Avoid A Technological Dystopia?
This might seem like an easy question to answer. Most people would say "yes".
As the old saying goes, ignore what people say and focus upon what they do. Are people serious when they say this is something they want to avoid then spend their time feeding X, Facebook, or YouTube? Do you see the disconnect here?
Obviously, to avoid a dystopian outcome, there are a lot more layers than simply data. We will have to undertake things such as governance.
That said, here are the basics for countering what Big Tech is doing:
- blockchain: permissionless networks that provide "data for humanity:
- cryptocurrency: the ability to transact and capture value without a centralized intermediary
- DAOs: entities that operate autonomously that are under the control of no individuals or entities
- open source: the ability to replicate, i.e. spread out, software generating more networks and applications
As we can see, this is larger than simply decentralizing data. Nevertheless, regardless of what is being designed, data is required. This means the decentralized world has to generate a great deal more to have any hope of countering what Big Tech is doing.
It is worth repeating how we are dealing with exponentialities. The amount of data is growing. Knowledge graphs improve with more data (among other things). This means that all situations are enhanced with the growing volume of data that is accessible.
Unfortunately, the overwhelming majority is being scooped up by Big Tech. Here is where Web 3.0 has to step up.
This is going to feed into the development of AI agents. At present, we can look at Microsoft, ChatGPT, Google, and Meta as the companies that are taking the lead here. Will that persist in the future?
Time will tell. Obviously, a major part is building the agents. These corporations have reams of software engineers to do that. They also develop their platforms to allows others to do the same, which naturally feeds them even more.
However, if we consider the idea of website elimination, which will be the outcome of an "agentic internet", then we have to revert back to data. How is information going to be provided?
The answer lies in the agents with the most data.
And with the path we are on, that will be those tied to X, Google, OpenAI, and Meta.
It is up to us to alter this. The democratization of data is one of the biggest battles humanity is facing.