4. The Future of the Internet

1. Origins of the Internet

The earliest origins of the Internet can be traced back to the military field, especially in the use of some specialized equipment for scientific research, communication and testing of weapon launching systems, such as computation of rockets, missiles and atomic bombs. As technology evolved, the Internet gradually expanded to universities and research institutions until the 1990s, when it began to reach homes and schools and became a global platform for information exchange. The interconnection of networks relies on Local Area Networks (LANs), Wide Area Networks (WANs), and worldwide Internet interconnections (such as today’s Internet of Everything). In the early days, due to the limitation of the number of devices, the Internet had relatively homogenous applications, mainly text and image-based content presentation.

2. Evolution of Web1, Web2, Web3

• Web1 (static web pages): The Web1 stage is the early stage of the Internet. The contents are mainly static web pages and users can only read the information passively. The loading speed of web pages was slow, interactivity was weak, and content was limited to text, pictures and some basic technical illustrations. During this period, content distribution on the Internet was mainly controlled by a few platforms and organizations.

• Web2 (Social Networking): The arrival of Web2 marked the transformation of the Internet from an “information acquisition” to an “interactive social” era. Users are not only able to browse content, but also to create, share and interact with it. Social platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, WeChat, Weibo, etc. have gradually emerged, and UGC (User Generated Content) and PGC (Professionally Generated Content) have become mainstream. In Web2, although content was created by users, the ownership of data and content remained in the hands of these centralized platforms, and the creator economy emerged.

• Web3 (Decentralized Web): Web3 is a fundamental innovation to the existing Internet, with the core concepts of decentralization, user sovereignty and data privacy protection. In Web3, users are able to fully control their own data, and data security and transparency are ensured through blockchain technology. Users’ digital assets no longer belong to the platform, but to individual users, and smart contracts and decentralized applications (DApps) become the core components of this phase.The emergence of Web3 marks the rise of emerging concepts such as decentralized finance (DeFi), NFT, and decentralized storage (e.g., IPFS).

3. The formation of the Internet of Value

As blockchain technology matures, the Internet is gradually transitioning to a new stage - the Internet of Value. The core of this stage lies in transforming the value that originally belonged to the centralized platform (e.g., data, content, identity) into decentralized digital assets, and realizing de-trusted value exchanges through smart contracts and blockchain technology. The future Internet is not only a pipeline for information transmission, but also a network ecology with transaction, asset management and value creation capabilities. Each user is not only a data creator in the Web3 environment, but also can create value for himself through the network.

4. User-owned Internet

One of the core concepts of Web3 is “user-owned Internet”. Unlike Web2, Web3 ensures that users are in complete control of their data, content and identity through blockchain technology. Whether using decentralized identity management tools like the MetaMask wallet or participating in decentralized social platforms (e.g., Steemit, Rebelcast), users are free to create content, manage assets, and interact with each other in the network without relying on a centralized platform. Decentralized storage (e.g., Filecoin and Arweave) and decentralized computing (e.g., Ethereum’s smart contracts) provide users with a free and open Internet space.

5. Components of and opportunities for the next-generation Internet

The next generation of the Internet will likely be built on a combination of protocol layer and innovation. Blockchain technology, decentralized protocols and smart contracts will become the core infrastructure of the Internet. The future Internet may take on a more modular and combinable character, where various functional protocols can be used like Lego blocks in a patchwork fashion to form a complex and powerful system. In the process, each protocol may become an independent digital asset for which users will need to pay, which in turn will drive developer economics and the continued development of open source protocols.

One possible trend is that as decentralized networks become more widespread, each protocol and each component could have its own revenue model, allowing independent developers and teams to earn a sustainable income. This model could help break the monopoly of traditional Internet companies over creators and developers, and allow individual creators to get more value out of the globalized Internet.

6. The combination of AI and blockchain: building a smart internet

The combination of AI and blockchain will be a major highlight of the future Internet. With the rapid development of AI technology, advanced models such as GPT (Generative Pre-training Transformer) and DeepSeek will become key tools for people to solve problems, create content, and support decision-making, and AI will not only be an auxiliary tool, but also an “intelligent agent” to help users automate a variety of matters, including It will become an “intelligent agent” to help users automate a variety of matters, including legal counseling, investment decisions, code generation, and so on.

On the other hand, the decentralized and tamper-proof nature of blockchain provides a secure operating environment for AI models. Through smart contracts and Decentralized Autonomous Organizations (DAOs), AI agents can operate autonomously in a decentralized network without being controlled by any single entity. This not only ensures data privacy and security, but also promotes more transparent and trustworthy AI.

Blockchain technology enables AI models to interact with digital assets through smart contracts, for example, AI models can be continuously optimized and iterated by purchasing valuable datasets or generating personalized services based on user needs. As AI technology continues to improve, a completely decentralized AI platform may emerge, allowing more individuals to participate and profit from it.

Conclusion

The future Internet will not only be a platform for information exchange, but also an ecosystem that empowers individuals and promotes decentralized innovation. web3 and AI technologies will work in tandem to help every user, developer and creator gain more autonomy and income from the Internet. Individuals will no longer rely solely on centralized platforms, but will be able to create and own their own digital assets through decentralized protocols and smart contracts, driving a new round of Internet transformation.