Eventually you won't think of 'the Internet business.' You'll

Host: The morning light filtered through the café windows, casting a soft, golden glow on the wooden tables. Outside, the world was already in motion, people bustling by with their morning routines. Inside, however, Jack and Jeeny sat at a quiet corner table, the calm between them accentuated by the steady hum of conversation around them. Jack, as usual, seemed lost in his thoughts, but Jeeny was the first to break the silence, her voice laced with curiosity.

Jeeny: “I came across something Bill Gates said that I’ve been thinking about. He said, ‘Eventually you won’t think of ‘the Internet business.’ You’ll think of it more like news, weather, sports, but even that taxonomy isn’t clear.’” She paused, watching Jack carefully, a slight smile playing at the corners of her lips. “Do you think he’s right? Are we on the verge of a world where the internet isn’t something separate, something we categorize, but just… part of everything?”

Jack: He frowned, his brow furrowing slightly as he processed her words. “It makes sense in a way, but at the same time, it feels a bit… overwhelming, right? The Internet is everything now—business, communication, entertainment. It’s become this vast, all-encompassing presence. But to think of it as just… news or weather or sports? Those are things we understand and expect to be separate. We think of them as specific categories with a clear purpose. The Internet, on the other hand, is so broad, so all-encompassing, that the idea of it just blending into everyday life without distinction feels a little hard to grasp.” He leaned back slightly, his tone reflective. “I guess what Gates is saying is that it’s no longer just a ‘business’—it’s become integrated into the very fabric of life. But that doesn’t make it any easier to define.”

Host: The sound of the rain against the window added a soft backdrop to their words, a rhythmic pattern to the growing tension in the conversation. Jeeny’s expression softened as she took in his response, her eyes never leaving his as she gently nudged the conversation forward.

Jeeny: “But isn’t that exactly what Gates is trying to say? The internet has grown so large and multifaceted that it doesn’t fit neatly into categories anymore. It’s like when we try to define something that’s become so ubiquitous—it’s not a separate thing anymore, it’s part of everything. The way we consume news, the way we shop, the way we work, the way we connect—it’s all interwoven with the internet. Maybe the reason the taxonomy isn’t clear is because there’s no need for it anymore. We’ve stopped thinking of the internet as a distinct entity, and it’s simply become another medium for everything that already existed.”

Jack: “I see your point,” he said, his voice quieter now, the initial resistance starting to fade. “But if the internet becomes something as ubiquitous as weather or news, does it lose its meaning? Doesn’t part of its power come from the fact that it’s constantly evolving, constantly offering new possibilities? If we stop thinking of it as special, do we lose the urgency, the excitement, the potential that it once had?” His voice dropped to a thoughtful tone. “Maybe it’s not about separating it from everything else, but about remembering how powerful and transformative it’s been. If it just becomes another part of the background, does it lose its ability to change the world?”

Jeeny: “But I don’t think Gates is suggesting that we lose sight of the impact the internet has had,” she replied, her voice gentle but firm. “It’s not about diminishing its importance, but about realizing that it’s become so integral to how we live that we don’t need to separate it out anymore. Think about the way we talk about electricity, or cars—those are things we don’t think about as separate industries or businesses anymore. They’re just part of the infrastructure of modern life.” She paused, letting the weight of her words settle. “Maybe the internet has simply evolved into something that doesn’t need to be defined by a single category anymore. It’s not about diminishing its role in our world—it’s about seeing it as ubiquitous in the best sense.”

Host: The café had grown quieter around them, the conversation now almost a gentle ebb and flow between Jack and Jeeny. Their words hung in the air, blending with the soft hum of the rain outside. Jack’s posture softened, and he seemed to be considering Jeeny’s point more carefully now, the shift in his thinking subtle but undeniable.

Jack: “I think I get what you’re saying. The internet isn’t a business or a sector anymore. It’s a part of the everyday—woven into how we live, like air or water. And maybe that’s what makes it so powerful—we don’t notice it anymore, but it’s always there, shaping the way we interact with everything.” He smiled slightly, a quiet acknowledgment of their shared understanding. “It’s funny, because we spend so much time trying to define it, but maybe the power of the internet is that it’s impossible to pin down. It’s in everything, but it’s not anything specific.”

Jeeny: “Exactly,” she said softly, a smile of satisfaction playing at the corners of her lips. “It’s not about defining it in the same way we define news or sports or even weather. It’s a medium, a tool, a constant. And as we become more integrated with it, we stop seeing it as something separate—it just becomes part of how we experience the world.”

Host: The rain had slowed again, its rhythmic sound now a gentle presence in the background. The conversation between Jack and Jeeny had reached a moment of quiet understanding, the world outside continuing on its usual path, while inside, their thoughts lingered, a quiet realization settling between them. Perhaps the internet was no longer something to define or categorize—it was simply part of the fabric of daily life, undeniable, unavoidable, and deeply woven into the way we experience the world.