The network computer and the AI computer

Anyone remembers the network computer? It was an idea mainly supported by SUN microsystems and Oracle in the mid-to-late 1990s, which represented a simple device that had also minimal local processing power or storage. Like a serial terminal. But with cool user interface.

Its main proponent was Larry Ellison, the CEO of Oracle. Around 1996, he began publicly promoting the idea of a simple, low-cost “internet appliance.” The main concept was that when you turned it on, it would connect to a network (like the internet or a company’s internal network) and download its operating system, software, and all your data from a central server. It would be great to anyone that would have wanted to just access data from the internet (web applications were not a thing those days).

There was also a famous slogan for this:

The Network is the Computer

Back to 2025

Today I was watching the latest interview of Elon Musk on Joe Rogan. Elon said about a similar idea, but with an AI-powered device.

Back in the 90s it was the internet, now its AI (to access the internet). I do not feel those devices have a future. As cool as they may sound, powerful mobile phones and computing in any form is a long way from disappearing. The devices nowadays are really capable of running several stuff and reducing that at only running AI with everything on the network, it will greatly harm the experience.

Reality Check

Elon is really great, maybe one of the best minds we have right now as humanity. but sometimes I feel his enthousiasm on AI and all related technologies, but it is still a technology, actually a really limited one (but super impressive).

In 10 years, we will talk about AI like we talk about the first iPhone, like the internet, like home micros or like Fortran :). So let us forget the singular device that will be star trek like, tbh who said that talking is the most efficient protocol to exchange information?

ps: here is the excerpt that focuses on the “device that will be screen and audio.

ps2. You know, all these history repetitions reminds me The Zen of Multiplexing :)