Life After Google Summary

What comes after the Google era? A revolutionary age of blockchain and decentralized systems that could change the foundations of technology and economics.

1. Google's Power Rests on Big Data and Advertisements

Google's dominance comes from its ability to harness vast amounts of data and monetize it through advertising. By gathering enormous quantities of information from across the world, Google creates a digital representation of reality stored in its cloud-based system. Algorithms process this data to derive insights and provide services.

The company's revenues largely depend on advertising, with around 95% of its income coming from ad payments. Users thus pay for these "free" services with their time and attention, often unaware of the trade-off. Google's clever placement of ads within search results keeps users engaged while promoting sponsored content.

To manage this operation, Google utilizes vast server farms like the one in The Dalles, Oregon. This data center, containing 75,000 servers, supports Google’s network, handling around 3.5 billion searches daily. As impressive as this system may seem, it raises questions about sustainability and security in the long run.

Examples

• Google Maps uses extensive data to simulate real-world navigation.
• The rise in ad-blocker usage (102% growth in 2015-2016) shows users’ dissatisfaction with overexposure to advertising.
• Critics like Jaron Lanier call Google’s data centers "Siren Servers," suggesting they could lead to unforeseen consequences.

2. Artificial Intelligence Is Less Dangerous Than Believed

Many tech leaders express concern about the risks posed by artificial intelligence. They argue that AI's potential for self-improvement and autonomy could outpace human capabilities. However, historical insights into mathematics and logic suggest otherwise.

Kurt Gödel’s incompleteness theorem demonstrates that no logical system can be entirely self-reliant. All systems require input from an external authority, and this holds true for AI. Programmers define the rules for AI systems, preventing them from achieving unchecked dominance.

The fear of AI is more a reflection of technologists' insecurities than a genuine concern. Instead of posing an existential threat, AI depends on human oversight and programming, making it unlikely to become a runaway force all on its own.

Examples

• Gödel’s theorem refutes the idea of all-encompassing systems or logic.
• AI like Google’s algorithms excels at specific tasks but cannot function independently without human-defined parameters.
• False alarms about AI "taking over" emerge from science fiction rather than scientific evidence.

3. Universities Should Encourage Visionaries, Not Just Academics

The educational landscape needs to change to foster progress rather than protect outdated norms. Traditional institutions often focus on reputation or political agendas rather than inspiring innovation. Reactionary initiatives, like climate-change divestments at Harvard, stifle forward-thinking solutions.

Alternatives like the Thiel Fellowship have stepped in to address these gaps. By encouraging young innovators to bypass college, this program invests in projects with transformative potential, such as blockchain and technology development.

Such initiatives have already produced groundbreaking results. Luminar, a company seeded by a Thiel Fellow, advanced laser radar for autonomous vehicles. Similarly, Vitalik Buterin, the creator of Ethereum, began his blockchain journey with the fellowship’s support.

Examples

• Fees at universities like George Washington University doubled in 20 years without noticeable improvements in education.
• The Thiel Fellowship gave $100,000 grants to individuals under 20 to disrupt traditional sectors.
• Institutions like Universidad Francisco Marroquín embraced innovation by allowing bitcoin payments.

4. Blockchain: The Foundation for Online Security

Bitcoin, the first cryptocurrency, brought with it blockchain, a technology capable of decentralizing data. Satoshi Nakamoto, the elusive creator of bitcoin, designed a system where individuals control their own data securely without the need for centralized servers.

Blockchains ensure transparency and security through complex cryptography. Every transaction is recorded publicly across “blocks,” time-stamped, and verified through decentralized computing. This means no one can alter the records without changing the entire chain—making fraud or hacking nearly impossible.

Blockchain’s decentralized nature disrupts the traditional siloed systems of big tech, offering individuals control over their identity and assets. The possibilities for applications extend far beyond cryptocurrencies.

Examples

• Every bitcoin move can be traced through its blockchain history.
• Private and public cryptographic keys allow secure, user-specific data sharing.
• Mining algorithms ensure network trustworthiness by requiring significant computational effort.

5. Ethereum Pushes Blockchain Beyond Currency

Ethereum, created by Vitalik Buterin, extends blockchain's potential by enabling smart contracts and decentralized applications (dApps). Unlike bitcoin, which solely focuses on currency, Ethereum’s platform supports the exchange of diverse assets.

These smart contracts use blockchain to guarantee that all conditions of a deal are met before execution. This eliminates intermediaries and their associated inefficiencies, making transactions faster and more transparent.

Ethereum’s open platform has empowered a wave of entrepreneurial projects, each contributing to this decentralized ecosystem. Its coin, ether, has become a key player in the cryptocurrency market, revealing the vast possibilities blockchain holds.

Examples

• Ethereum's smart contracts ensure automatic compliance with deal terms.
• Since 2015, numerous dApps have been built on Ethereum, spawning creativity.
• Ether's market capitalization hits billions, second only to bitcoin.

6. Decentralized Processing Powers a New Era

Hardware innovation plays a critical role in dismantling outdated models like Google’s centralized servers. Moore’s and Bell’s Laws suggest shifts in computer architecture occur as technologies become more efficient.

Examples like Golem, a decentralized computing network, demonstrate how pooled resources can perform complex tasks even without “Siren Servers.” By renting unused processing capabilities, Golem creates a distributed supercomputer to efficiently tackle computational needs.

This shift decentralizes not just data but also processing power, leading to faster and more secure operations. It offers an alternative to energy-intensive centralized solutions.

Examples

• Golem rents computing capability to users for resource-heavy tasks like 3D graphics rendering.
• Nvidia's graphics processors enhance energy efficiency through parallel processing.
• Decentralized systems are faster and require less overhead compared to massive server farms.

7. Bitcoin’s Economic Paradigm Faces Challenges

While bitcoin introduced groundbreaking technology, its attempt to establish an economic "gold standard" faces criticisms. Satoshi Nakamoto designed bitcoin to behave predictably, with a fixed supply cap and diminishing mining rewards.

However, bitcoin's extreme value fluctuations contradict its purpose as a stable standard. Between 2017 and 2018, its value shifted wildly, preventing it from acting as a reliable economic touchstone like gold.

Newer cryptocurrencies aim to address these weaknesses, proving the cryptocosm remains in flux. Bitcoin may have been the first step, but there is much left to refine.

Examples

• Bitcoin's peak value hit over $19,000 in 2018, only to drop steeply.
• Gold’s steadiness stems from limited, consistent resource growth, a trait bitcoin struggles to mimic.
• Economists point out bitcoin’s role as an exchange token complicates its use as a standard.

8. Blockchain Breaks the Monopoly of Big Tech

Google's dominance depends on centralizing data and managing it through Siren Servers, but blockchain proposes an alternative. By distributing databases, blockchain eliminates the need for massive data hubs, putting control back into the hands of users.

New technologies emerging from blockchain-based companies provide options for individuals and businesses to step away from Google's surveillance-driven model. Decentralized apps (dApps) on platforms like Ethereum offer secure and personalized services.

The shift from central to distributed systems empowers users without compromising security, moving societies closer to sustainable technology.

Examples

• Blockstack provides tools to build dApps without centralized systems.
• Cryptography ensures blockchain doesn't need corporate intermediaries like Google.
• Ethereum creates transparent platforms eliminating traditional restrictions on innovation.

9. The Cryptocosm Challenges the Current System

The cryptocosm dismantles assumptions about online interactions and creates a decentralized model centered on trust and transparency. Unlike Google, it prioritizes individual security and decision-making.

This vision appeals across fields, from finance to education. By focusing on empowering users rather than collecting endless data, blockchain and the cryptocosm can redefine the future of technology.

The challenge lies in scaling these systems effectively while retaining their original ethos of decentralization and privacy.

Examples

• Education institutions accepting bitcoin payments mark a societal shift toward decentralization.
• Businesses adopt blockchain for secure financial transactions without reliance on banking systems.
• Cryptocosm platforms promise localized user control, avoiding global data mismanagement.

Takeaways

1. Explore how blockchain systems like cryptocurrency wallets enable greater privacy and personal control over your data.
2. Familiarize yourself with decentralized apps (dApps) to utilize secure, user-oriented services without relying on big tech companies.
3. Learn about blockchain ventures such as Ethereum and Golem to understand their application beyond cryptocurrency, including in investments and processing solutions.