Résumé

The Internet is an ever-evolving technology that continues to innovate. So far, we have had Web 1.0 and 2.0, and there is much discussion about what to expect from Web 3.0. Web 1.0 offered a static experience for users, without the ability to create the content-rich sites we know today. Web 2.0 brought us together through social media and dynamic websites, but at the cost of centralization.

Web 3.0 aims to give us control over our online information and create a semantic web. This means that machines can easily read and process user-generated content. Blockchain will provide the power of decentralization, free digital identities with crypto wallets, and open digital economies.

The ways of interacting with the net will become more immersive thanks to the availability of 3D options. The benefits for the user also include efficient navigation, relevant advertising and better customer support. Some of the most used Web 3.0 technologies are virtual assistants like Siri and Alexa, as well as connected smart homes.

Introduction

Over the past twenty years, the internet has changed significantly. We’ve gone from Internet Relay Chat (IRC) to modern social media platforms, from basic digital payments to sophisticated online banking. We’ve even seen new internet technologies like cryptocurrency and blockchain. The internet has become a vital part of human interaction and connectivity, and it continues to evolve. So far, we’ve been dealing with Web 1.0 and 2.0, but what exactly should we expect from Web 3.0? Let’s dive into the details and see what’s in store.

What is Web 3.0?

Web 3.0 (also known as Web3) is the next generation of internet technology that relies heavily on machine learning, artificial intelligence (AI), and blockchain technology. The term was coined by Gavin Wood, founder of Polkadot and co-founder of Ethereum. While Web 2.0 focused on user-generated content hosted on centralized websites, Web 3.0 will give users greater control over their online data.

This movement aims to create open, connected, and intelligent websites and web applications through better machine understanding of data. Decentralization and digital economies also play an important role in Web 3.0, as they allow us to assign value to the content created on the net. It is also important to understand that Web 3.0 is a changing concept. There is no single definition, and its exact meaning may differ from person to person.

How does Web 3.0 work?

Web 3.0 aims to deliver personalized and relevant information faster through the use of AI and advanced machine learning techniques. Intelligent search algorithms and the development of big data analytics mean that machines can intuitively understand and recommend content. Web 3.0 will also focus on content ownership and supporting user-accessible digital economies.

Today's websites typically display static information or user-driven content, such as forums or social networks. While this allows for the publication of data on a large scale, it does not meet the specific needs of users. A website must tailor the information it provides to each user, similar to the dynamism of human communication in the real world. With Web 2.0, users lose ownership and control once this information is online.

Another key figure in the Web 3.0 concept is computer scientist Tim Berners-Lee, the inventor of the World Wide Web. He presented his idea for the future of the web in 1999:

I have a dream for the web [in which computers] become able to analyze all the data on the web: the content, the links and the transactions between people and computers. A "semantic web" that makes this possible has not yet emerged, but in that case, the daily mechanisms of commerce, bureaucracy and our daily lives will be managed by machines communicating with other machines.

Berners-Lee’s vision has since combined with Gavin Wood’s message. This is about a decentralized ocean of information that will be available to websites and applications. They will understand and use this data in a meaningful way with individual users. Blockchain acts as a solution to manage this identity, data and ownership online fairly.

A Brief History of the Evolution of the Web

To better understand Web 3.0, let’s look at where we are today and where we’ve come from. Over the past twenty decades, we’ve already seen some huge changes:

Web 1.0

The original Internet offered an experience that is now known as Web 1.0. The term was coined in 1999 by author and web designer Darci DiNucci, who distinguished between Web 1.0 and Web 2.0. In the early 1990s, websites were built using static HTML pages that could only display information. There was no way for users to edit the data or upload their own. Social interaction was limited to simple chat rooms and forums.

Web 2.0

In the late 1990s, a shift toward a more interactive Internet began to take shape. With Web 2.0, users were able to interact with websites through databases, server-side processing, forms, and social networking. These tools moved the web experience from a static to a dynamic state.

Web 2.0 focused on user-generated content and interoperability between different sites and applications. Web 2.0 was less about observation and more about participation. By the mid-2000s, most websites had transitioned to Web 2.0, and large companies began implementing social networks and cloud services.

The Future and Web 3.0

The evolution of a semantic web makes sense when you look at the history of the internet. Data was first presented to users statically. Then, users could interact with that data dynamically. Now, algorithms will use all that data to improve the user experience and make the web more personalized and familiar. Just look at YouTube or Netflix to see the power of algorithms and the improvements they have already made.

Web 3.0, although not yet fully defined, may rely on peer-to-peer (P2P) technologies such as blockchain, open source software, virtual reality, Internet of Things (IoT), etc. Web 3.0 also aims to make the Internet more open and decentralized. In the current framework, users rely on network and cellular operators to access their data and personal information. With the advent of distributed ledger technologies, this may soon change and users could regain ownership of their data.

To see at a glance the main differences between Web 1.0, 2.0 and 3.0, check out our table below:

Main features of Web 3.0

Web 3.0 is still far from being fully adopted, but its core concepts are mostly already defined. The four topics below are generally listed as the most important aspects of the future of Web 3.0.

Semantic markup

Over time, machines have gotten better at understanding data and content created by humans. However, creating a seamless experience where semantics are fully understood will take time. For example, using the word “bad” can, in some cases, mean “good.” For a machine, this can be incredibly difficult to understand. However, with Big Data and other information to study, AI is starting to better understand what we write on the web and present it intuitively.

Blockchain and cryptocurrencies

Data ownership, online economies, and decentralization are key aspects of Gavin-Wood’s Web3 future. We’ll cover this in more detail later, but blockchain offers a proven system for achieving many of these goals. The power for anyone to tokenize assets, put information on a blockchain, and create a digital identity is a great innovation that lends itself to Web 3.0.

3D visualization and presentation of interactions

In other words, the appearance of the web will change radically. We are already seeing a shift towards 3D environments that even integrate virtual reality. The metaverse is one of the pioneers of these experiences, and we are already familiar with encounters through 3D video games. The fields of user interface and user experience also allow information to be presented in a more intuitive way for web users.

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence is the key to transforming human-generated content into machine-readable data. We already know about customer service bots, but that’s just the beginning. AI can present data to us and sort through it, making it a versatile tool for Web 3.0. Better yet, AI will learn and improve on its own, reducing the work required for human development in the future.

What makes Web 3.0 superior to its predecessors?

In theory, the combination of the main features of Web 3.0 will lead to many benefits. Remember that all of this will depend on the success of the underlying technology:

1. No central point of control: Since middlemen are removed from the equation, they no longer control user data. This freedom reduces the risk of censorship by governments or corporations and reduces the effectiveness of denial of service (DoS) attacks.

2. Increased interconnectedness of information: As more products are connected to the Internet, larger data sets provide algorithms with more information to analyze. This can help them provide more accurate information that meets the specific needs of each user.

3. More efficient navigation: When using search engines, finding the best results has sometimes been a challenge. However, over the years, they have become better at finding semantically relevant results based on search context and metadata. The result is a more convenient web browsing experience that makes it easy for everyone to find the exact information they need.

4. Improved advertising and marketing: No one likes to be bombarded with online ads. However, if the ads are relevant to your needs, they can be helpful instead of being a nuisance. Web 3.0 aims to improve advertising by leveraging smarter AI systems and targeting specific audiences based on consumer data.

5. Better customer support: Customer support is essential to the smooth user experience of websites and web applications. However, due to the considerable costs involved, many web services struggle to scale their customer service operations. By using smarter chatbots that can talk to multiple customers simultaneously, users can enjoy a superior experience when working with support agents.

How does cryptocurrency fit into Web 3.0?

Blockchain and crypto have great potential when it comes to Web 3.0. Decentralized networks successfully create incentives for more responsible data ownership, governance, and content creation. Some of the most relevant aspects of Web 3.0 include:

1. Digital cryptocurrency wallets: Anyone can create a wallet that allows you to make transactions and act as a digital identity. You don’t need to store your information or create an account with a centralized service provider. You have complete control over your wallet, and often the same wallet can be used on multiple blockchains.

2. Decentralization: The transparent distribution of information and power across a large group of people is easy with blockchain. This is in contrast to Web 2.0, where large tech giants dominate vast swaths of our online lives.

3. Digital economies: The ability to own data on a blockchain and use decentralized transactions creates new digital economies. They allow us to easily evaluate and exchange goods, services and content online without having to provide banking or personal data. This openness helps improve access to financial services and allows users to start earning money.

4. Interoperability: DApps and on-chain data are becoming increasingly compatible. Blockchains built using the Ethereum Virtual Machine can easily support DApps, wallets, and tokens from different blockchains. This helps improve the ubiquity needed for a connected Web 3.0 experience.

Web 3.0 Use Cases

Although Web 3.0 is still under development, we have some examples that are already in use today:

Virtual assistants Siri and Alexa

Apple’s Siri and Amazon’s Alexa both offer virtual assistants that check most of the Web 3.0 boxes. AI and natural language processing help both services better understand human voice commands. The more people use Siri and Alexa, the better their AI gets at recommending and interacting with them. This makes them a perfect example of a semantically intelligent web app that belongs in the Web 3.0 world.

Smart connected homes

One of the key features of Web 3.0 is ubiquity. This means we can access our data and online services across multiple devices. Systems that control your home’s heating, cooling, and other energy sources can now do so in a smart, connected way. Your smart home can know when you leave, when you arrive, and how warm or cool you like your home. It can use this information, and more, to create a personalized experience. You can then access this service from your phone or other online devices, no matter where you are.

To conclude

The evolution of the internet has been a long journey and will surely continue to more iterations. With the massive explosion of available data, websites and applications are evolving towards a more immersive web experience. While there is still no concrete definition for Web 3.0, innovations are already in motion. It is not uncommon to see the direction we are taking, and blockchain, of course, seems to be a key part of the future of Web 3.0.