SOME OF US are old enough to remember the original promises of the internet. It was going to democratise information, create a global community and put an end to middle men.

Social media was going to connect humanity. The sharing economy was going to liberate us from the tyranny of corporations. There would be multiple Arab springs. Information wanted to be free.

But it turns out nothing was free.

Instead, Google became the gatekeeper for information. Facebook became the owner of our online relationships. Amazon became the default online shop. Apple built an ecosystem that locked users into an ecosystem of high-end hardware. It was winner-takes-all economics. And the result was a host of walled gardens that privatised all the gains of the internet and socialised all the losses.

Platforms pocketed advertising revenue while legacy media kissed its business models goodbye. Social networks monetised engagement while society absorbed the costs of misinformation, polarisation and conspiracy theories. The gig economy generated fortunes for investors while transferring risk to workers. The business model was simple: keep the upsides, outsource the consequences.

Now the same Silicon Valley types are back selling the dream of artificial intelligence.

Sure, the productivity gains are clear for professionals; coders, lawyers, marketing professionals and anyone doing admin tasks can all see the benefits.

But that’s not enough; we’re also being told AI is for everyone. It’s not just B2B, it’s B2C........

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