The Enduring Relevance of Internet Pioneer Robert Kahn’s Work
Robert “Bob” Kahn, the co-creator of the Internet, has been a constant presence in the world of technology since the 1970s. His work has not only laid the foundation for the modern Internet but has also foreshadowed concepts like AI agents and blockchain. In a recent interview with The Zero Byte, Kahn shared his insights on the challenges and opportunities in today’s tech landscape.
Familiar Challenges in a Connected World
Kahn expressed his concern about the potential misuse of the Internet from the very beginning. While the early days of the Internet involved a small, collaborative research community, the growth of the network to billions of users has brought with it a wide range of societal issues. Kahn noted his disappointment that approaches that could have made a difference in mitigating these problems were not adopted.
Knowbots and the Digital Object Architecture
In the late 1980s, Kahn and his team developed the concept of “knowbots” – mobile programs that could perform tasks on behalf of users, such as making travel reservations or checking emails. Although the emergence of the Morris worm temporarily halted the development of knowbots, the idea evolved into the Digital Object Architecture (DOA). The DOA shares similarities with cryptocurrency, as it involves representing values in digital form and enabling interactions between digital objects.
You know, it’s a shame that people think that these digital objects have to be only be copyrighted material. I wrote a paper called representing values in digital objects… I think we called them digital entities, just for technical reasons. I believe it was the first paper that actually talked about the equivalent of cryptocurrency.
The Need for Interoperability and Standards
Kahn emphasized the importance of interoperability and standards in the development of the Internet. He noted that while many companies had their own approaches to networking, they ultimately had to adopt the protocols developed at DARPA to ensure compatibility. Kahn likened the situation to having different power plugs in every house, highlighting the need for a unified standard.
Revitalizing the US Chip Industry
Regarding the recent efforts to reinvest in the US chip industry, Kahn acknowledged the importance of regaining leadership in semiconductor manufacturing. However, he also pointed out the critical role of workforce development in this process, emphasizing the need for skilled personnel to operate the manufacturing sites and teach the necessary skills in schools.
Workforce development is going to be big part of the problem. But I think we were there before, we can get there again.
Robert Kahn’s insights serve as a reminder that while technology continues to evolve, many of the fundamental challenges and principles remain the same. By learning from the past and embracing collaboration and standardization, we can work towards a more secure, interoperable, and innovative future.
Robert Kahn accepting the IEEE Medal of Honor.
5 Comments
Robert Kahn was dreaming about our digital destiny before we even knew how to log in!
Kahn was practically living in the future, and we’re just catching up to his imagination.
Did Robert Kahn foresee the tweets about him in the crypto realm, or was that too far even for his vision?
Kahn had a map to the digital age, we’re just following the path he drew!
Kahn’s crystal ball must have been high-def, predicting crypto and AI like it was nothing!