So, what exactly is Web 3.0?
Haebom
I first became aware of Web 3.0 in 2021, and in 2022, a lot of Web 3.0-related communities and groups sprang up. Over the weekend, while talking with some people about Web 3.0, I checked what happened to those communities and groups—it turns out most of them naturally disbanded or just aren’t active anymore. (Empty Discord servers.) Actually, the definitions and discussions around Web 3.0 or Web 2.0 seem to still be ongoing.
I'm not really in a position to define things like that, but I'd like to look at it from the perspective of how knowledge and information circulate. Debating which terms are correct is something the market will figure out anyway, and I know it's risky to speak on things I don't fully understand... Thinking about the recent Stack Overflow case, I just jotted these thoughts down.
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Growth of web platforms: Platforms like Stack Overflow, Yelp, and Reddit made the web richer with user-generated content. Google indexed these platforms and got high-quality information for free.
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The rise of Google OneBox: Google's OneBox feature instantly gives answers above search results, reducing traffic to websites.
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Impact of large language models: Large language models like ChatGPT aim to comprehensively consume the web. As a result, the number of new posts on platforms like Stack Overflow has fallen.
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The problem of knowledge concentration: These language models try to lock knowledge away in a huge black box, which can make it difficult to share and distribute knowledge.
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Future possibilities: If language models come to have human qualities like 'curiosity' or 'boredom', we might reach a new phase in how knowledge is created.
Key points
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Democratization of knowledge vs. centralization: Web platforms that originally aimed to make knowledge more democratic are now seeing knowledge become centralized through language models.
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The sustainability problem: Language models need new knowledge sources to keep growing. But if things continue as they are, those sources could dry up.
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The human role: The need for people in the creation and sharing of knowledge is still emphasized. This suggests there’s still hope to revitalize the web.
The development of AI language models is having all kinds of effects on the Internet and platforms that share knowledge. Honestly, Web 3.0 feels more like a philosophical concept, and from now on, how users deal with this explosion of data brought on by AI will probably shape the direction of the web. Or, well, you just live hyped up on dopamine, scrolling through TikTok, Reels, and Shorts, constantly having your tastes shaped for you...
So, in the end, it’s about people. Without users, no service or product can exist, which is probably why communities that connect people always get attention. Sometimes I feel like things like Web 3.0 are philosophical ideas dreamed up by someone who just likes to draw lines around concepts. I think what really matters is how humans will keep afloat in a world where data is not just overflowing but rushing in. That’s where I’ll stop. Just some silly rambling.
Summary: Let’s just keep doing what we’re doing. Don’t get swept up in all the terminology.
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I post articles related to IT 💻, economy 💰, and humanities 🎭.
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haebom@kakao.com
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I post articles related to IT 💻, economy 💰, and humanities 🎭.
If you are curious about my thoughts, perspectives or interests, please subscribe.
haebom@kakao.com