Steve Case, Predictions of the Internet

This thursday American Online Chairman Steve Case reflected on the history of internet and it's future. Case started AOL in 1985, when it was launched only three percent of households had access to internet and they averaged one hour of weekly use. During this time internet users were charged for each minute of network use, and it was illegal for the general public to have access to internet.

More than a decade later the internet has grown substantially due to the creation of the World Wide Web. Case stated "our world is arguably more peaceful, more prosperous and better connected as a result of this global medium that breaks down walls and builds connections." The question, however, is what will happen next.

Case based his prediction off of Alvin Toffer's book The Third Wave. Toffer's book discussed the progression from the agricultural wave to the industrial revolution and then predicted the creation of the "electronic" revolution. Case believes that we are experiencing the third wave of internet companies. The first wave of the electronic revolution occurred during the 1980's and 90's. This is when the internet was being built and connectivity began. It was at this time that AOL carried more than fifty percent of internet traffic in the U.S. Once companies began building services on platforms such as Cisco, IBM, Microsoft, and Netscape this marked the second wave. From here the second wave companies developed such as Google and Amazon. Then the social media revolution took hold, as well as the creation of apps.

Lastly this leads us to the third wave. Case believes that the third wave will be about integrating the Internet, meaning it will become increasingly invisible. This will create even more opportunities, especially for health care, education, and government services. Collaboration and alliances will be at the heart of this wave. Case believes entrepreneurs will have to learn to work with governments, and governments will be able to weigh in on issues like security and privacy.

Read the full article at Mashable.com