When Bill Gates Explained the Internet to David Letterman: Lessons on Predicting the Future
Daigo Tanaka, PhD
Business Data Systems builder | Consulting | Data | Engineering | Product Design | Startup | Entrepreneur
The Challenge of Conveying the Future
Imagine it’s 1995. Bill Gates sits down with David Letterman to describe a revolutionary concept: the Internet. Here’s how he explained it:
“It’s become a place where people are publishing information. Everyone can have their own homepage. Companies are there, sharing the latest information. That’s wild! You can even send electric mail to people. It’s the big new thing.”
Does that explanation capture your imagination?
Hold onto that thought. Back in 1995, this description was accurate—yet unimaginably far from the Internet’s ultimate potential. Fast forward to today, and it’s astonishing to reflect on how this “big new thing” transformed the global economy.
Why People Doubt New Ideas
During the same conversation, Letterman poked fun at the Internet with a joke: “I heard you can listen to baseball games on your computer. Does radio ring a bell?”
The audience laughed, siding with Letterman.
This exchange highlights a timeless truth: explaining new technology is difficult. Most people judge innovations based on their initial uses, finding it hard to envision the transformative potential hidden within early versions.
Curious how this conversation mirrors our views on AI today? Explore the full article here: When Bill Gates Explained the Internet to David Letterman: Lessons on Predicting the Future.
Data Analyst / Economist
3 周Great contribuition Daigo. For us who have seen the internet since it was public in the 90s, we've seen a lot of changes. Now we can't figure out our lives without it.
AI Voice Technology Pioneer | Transforming Enterprise Communication with LLMs & Generative AI | Co-Founder @ Reves.AI | 80% Cost Reduction for Fortune 500 Companies
1 个月It’s easy to dismiss something based on its early days, but history proves that today’s ‘trivial’ could be tomorrow’s revolution. Key is to embrace the unknown and be open to possibilities,?Daigo.