Let’s start with a thought experiment. When was the last time you drove somewhere new without glancing at Google Maps? When did you last pick a movie without seeing what Netflix recommended? Or bought a product that wasn’t served to you by an algorithm? If you’re struggling to remember, you’ve just identified the invisible hand…
The headlines scream it: “Quantum Computer Solves Impossible Problem in Seconds!” “Quantum Supremacy Achieved!” It sounds like science fiction made real. A machine so powerful it makes today’s supercomputers look like abacuses. It’s easy to imagine this means tomorrow you’ll have a quantum chip in your phone, or that all your passwords will be instantly cracked. Let’s hit…
You wake up to a curated news feed. You drive to work guided by an app that chooses your route. You listen to a playlist you didn’t create. You watch a movie a service recommended. You order dinner from a place that “other people like you” enjoy. You go to bed having made dozens of…
Let’s start with a simple moment from your day. You walk into a store, see a shirt you like, and pull out your phone. You scan a QR code on the tag, and instantly, you’re watching a video of the designer talking about the fabric. You check the price against three online retailers. You see…
Remember when your phone was a Swiss Army Knife of apps? One app for messaging, one for photos, one for news. Then, the promise of the “Super App” arrived from the East—the WeChat model. A single, all-encompassing app for everything: chat, pay, shop, book travel, order food, hail a ride, read news, even file your taxes. The dream…