How will AI and encryption technology change the future of the internet?

The internet is at a critical crossroads. We need to rethink the economic models and infrastructure of the internet to meet the challenges of the artificial intelligence era.

Artificial intelligence and encryption technology are driving the internet into a new phase. These two technologies complement each other and together shape the future of the internet.

Artificial intelligence is disrupting traditional internet business models. Search engines and social platforms no longer need to distribute traffic to content creators, as AI can generate content directly. This breaks the economic contracts of the internet that have existed for the past 20 years, threatening the survival of many websites and creators that rely on traffic monetization.

To address this challenge, we need to explore new business models and incentive mechanisms. Encryption technology provides possibilities for this. Through blockchain, we can build decentralized AI infrastructure to offer creators new sources of income.

For example, projects like Story Protocol allow creators to register intellectual property on the blockchain and set usage terms. This creates conditions for the free combination of creative content and fair revenue sharing.

Encryption technology can also help solve the "cold start" problem in the AI field. Through token economics, we can incentivize early users to participate in the construction of a decentralized AI network, thereby promoting the formation of network effects.

However, most consumer-level AI applications currently have not formed strong network effects. Users can easily switch between different AI tools, which may lead to intense price competition. To establish a successful AI startup, it is necessary to find a point of entry that can create network effects.

The development of AI may go through a process from the "imitation stage" to the "native stage". Currently, what we see mostly is AI imitating and replacing human labor, but the real revolution will occur in AI native products and experiences.

In the next 5-10 years, AI may give rise to entirely new forms of art and creative expression. It is not just about replacing human creativity, but rather it could provide a whole new canvas for human creativity.

The widespread application of AI still faces challenges in regulation and social adaptation. In regulated industries such as healthcare and finance, the implementation of AI may take longer. However, in certain fields like autonomous driving, we have already seen significant progress.

The ideal future of the internet should be a decentralized network, owned and managed by the community. Economic benefits should flow more to users rather than being concentrated in the hands of a few tech giants.

The construction of blockchain and decentralized networks is crucial to achieving this vision. If the future internet is completely controlled by a few companies, the space for innovation will be greatly compressed. True innovation should be built on an open ecosystem.

Despite numerous challenges, the future remains full of hope. Through the promotion of decentralized technology and open-source AI, we have the opportunity to reshape the internet to make it more open, fair, and innovative.