From MIT Technology Review · · 1m 50s
The agentic web arrives as traffic deaths persist
AI agents are automating the internet Tim Berners-Lee imagined 25 years ago, while cities struggle to implement proven road safety measures.
In brief
AI agents are automating the internet Tim Berners-Lee imagined 25 years ago, while cities struggle to implement proven road safety measures. AI agents are beginning to automate web tasks as envisioned in 2001, while traffic deaths remain the leading cause of death for children and young adults despite cheap, proven…
Berners-Lee's vision becomes real
In two thousand one, Tim Berners-Lee imagined an internet navigated by autonomous software agents handling tasks without human intervention. A quarter-century later, AI agents are making this vision real.
What AI agents can do now
AI agents can triage your inbox, do your grocery shopping, and even access your bank accounts. This new era is being called the agentic web.
The uncertain future of the human web
The agentic web will inevitably transform the internet. Whether the human web survives this transition is anyone's guess.
Traffic deaths remain a global crisis
Every year, traffic crashes kill more than one million people worldwide. They are the leading cause of death for children and young adults.
Proven safety solutions exist
Cheap, proven ways to make roads safer exist, including tightening intersections with planters and lowering speed limits. Government logjams and red tape make rollout difficult.
Cities making progress on safety
Some cities are making impressive progress by investing in public transit, extending curbs, and using cameras to spot danger zones needing redesign.
Quantum computing timeline questioned
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang said practical quantum computing is fifteen to thirty years away. But experts say his predictions miss the mark on both timeline and his company's role.
Quantum utility rapidly approaching
Quantum computing is rapidly converging on utility. The hope is they will perform calculations no amount of AI or classical computation could ever achieve.
The big picture
AI agents are beginning to automate web tasks as envisioned in 2001, while traffic deaths remain the leading cause of death for children and young adults despite cheap, proven safety solutions.
