Google’s Eric Schmidt says the “Internet will disappear”
As the number of connected devices proliferates the internet we knew and loved is going away, and being replaced by something else, but what should we call it?
Cite or link to this article
Griffin, M. (2017) 'Google’s Eric Schmidt says the “Internet will disappear”', 311 Institute, 19 January. Available at: https://www.311institute.com/googles-eric-schmidt-says-the-internet-will-disappear/ (Accessed: 1 October 2026).
It's obvious when you think about it, the end of the Internet is drawing near, or at least the internet as we know it, and that's according to someone who knows it better than almost everyone else on the planet. While speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, last Thursday, Google's executive chairman, Eric Schmidt, said the current internet will seem to vanish as it becomes a part of everyday objects and services.
"There will be so many IP addresses, so many devices, sensors, things that you are wearing, things that you are interacting with that you won't even sense [the internet]," Schmidt said, "it will be part of your presence all the time."
Meanwhile Schmidt also went on to say that Google is positioning itself to become a major provider of the internet's next iteration, on Earth and in space, and the company made headlines this week with another $1 billion investment in Elon Musk's SpaceX communications project which aims to use 4,425 low Earth orbit satellites to connect every square inch of the planet.
Google's also getting deeper into the wireless sector too, with ambitions to sell mobile phone plans directly to consumers as early as this year under it's Project Fi banner, an MVNO service that piggybacks on top of Sprint and T-Mobiles wireless networks.
What this means for your organisation
Connection becomes part of everything.
Schmidt said there will be so many IP addresses, devices and sensors that people will not sense the internet. It will be part of their presence all the time. Products and services will be judged on how well they work, not on how they connect.
Networks will reach beyond the ground.
Google is positioning itself as a major provider of the next internet, on Earth and in space. It put another $1 billion into a SpaceX project that aims to use 4,425 low Earth orbit satellites. Satellite internet is on our Prepare list, with wide use expected by 2030.
Carriers may become your competitors.
Google plans to sell mobile phone plans directly to consumers under Project Fi, which runs on Sprint and T-Mobile networks. Organisations that rely on one network partner should check how exposed they are. Mesh networks, where nearby devices swap data directly, are on our Act now list.
Three questions for your next leadership meeting
- Which of our products or services will still make sense when the connection is invisible?
- How dependent are we on a single network or carrier partner?
- Who in our sector could start selling connectivity directly to our customers?
The trends and technologies behind this story
From the 311 Starburst, the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit’s map of the technologies and trends shaping the next 50 years.
Analysis by the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit, from Matthew Griffin’s article and 311 data. First published on Fanatical Futurist.
FAQ
Why does this matter?
As the number of connected devices proliferates the internet we knew and loved is going away, and being replaced by something else, but what should we call it?
About the author
Matthew Griffin Founder, President and Futurist, 311 Institute
Matthew Griffin is a multi-award winning Futurist and expert in Disruption and Innovation, Geopolitics, Leadership, and Technology, who NASA have described as a "walking encyclopaedia of the future" and a "futurist Polymath."
Read full bio
Matthew Griffin is a multi-award winning Futurist and expert in Disruption and Innovation, Geopolitics, Leadership, and Technology, who NASA have described as a "walking encyclopaedia of the future" and a "futurist Polymath." 17-time best selling author of the "Codex of the Future" series, Matthew is the Founder, President and Futurist of the 311 Institute, a global Futures and Deep Futures advisory firm working with royal households, world leaders, G7, G20, and G77 governments, NGOs, and multi-national mid and mega cap firms to help them explore, shape, and lead the next 50 years of business and society.
An award-winning YouTube creator with over a million followers, with an unrivalled global reach and impact, Matthew is a highly sought-after international keynote speaker, lecturer, and mentor who collaborates with global leaders through the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) and United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) to shape pivotal initiatives such as the UN’s AI for Humanity program, the United Nations Conference of the Parties (UN COP), and the World Economic Forum in Davos.
As the former Global Head of Cloud, National Security, and Enterprise Sales for companies including Atos, Dell-EMC, and IBM, Matthew has a proven track record of building multi-billion dollar business units and turning failing divisions into market leaders. His ability to identify, analyse, and communicate the implications of hundreds of emerging technologies and trends is unparalleled, and his insights are trusted by many of the world’s most respected organisations, including ABB, Accenture, Adidas, AON, ARM, BCG, Centrica, Citi, Coca-Cola, Dentons, Deloitte, Dow Jones, EY, Google, KPMG, Lego, Legal & General, LinkedIn, Microsoft, PepsiCo, Qualcomm, RWE, Samsung, Siemens AG and Siemens Energy, T-Mobile, UBS, VISA, Walmart, Workday, Worldpay and many others.
Regularly featured in the global media including the AP, BBC, Bloomberg, CNBC, Discovery, Forbes, Khaleej Times, Telegraph, TIME, ViacomCBS, WIRED, and the WSJ, Matthews mission is to help organisations create a fair and sustainable future whose benefits are shared by everyone irrespective of their ability, background, or circumstances.
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Sources and further reading
- World Economic Forum weforum.org
- About fi.google.com
- Mobile virtual network operator en.wikipedia.org
Source: first published by the 311 Institute on 19 January 2017. Cite as: Griffin, M. (2017). Google’s Eric Schmidt says the “Internet will disappear”. 311 Institute. https://www.311institute.com/googles-eric-schmidt-says-the-internet-will-disappear/
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