Thought Experiment: How a 100x Faster Internet Would Reshape Products and Markets

Suppose internet speeds were 100 times faster than they are today. What would change? ```hint Find the next bottleneck Pin down what "faster" means first. Then look for activities the network holds back today, and ask what would limit them once it no longer did. ``` ### Clarifying Questions - Does "faster" mean more bandwidth, lower latency or both, and should I treat physical limits on latency as binding? - Does the jump apply to home broadband, mobile networks or the whole path including backbone and data center links, and does the monthly price stay about the same? - Should I look at consumers and society broadly, or at what the change would mean for this company's own businesses, such as retail, video streaming and cloud computing? - What time horizon do you have in mind: the first year after the change, or the decade after it? ### What a Strong Answer Covers - A precise definition of "faster" and its scope, including what physics, devices and cost would still limit - A structured map of effects on people, businesses and infrastructure, not a list of gadgets - Where the bottleneck moves next, and what that means for products and investment - Second-order effects: winners, losers, new business models, and risks such as unequal access, security and privacy - A clear point of view on the one or two opportunities worth investing in first ### Follow-up Questions - Which product category today would lose the most from this change, and why? - If only latency improved and bandwidth stayed where it is, which of your predictions would still hold? - What would a cloud provider have to change in its infrastructure to benefit?