In a recent episode of the GM Podcast at ETHDenver, ThreeFold Founder Kristof De Spiegeleer shared his vision for a better internet, one that returns to its roots of openness, creativity, and human connection.
“I love the Internet. It’s one of humanity’s best creations… but not everything went in the right direction.”
He reflected on the early days when the internet was a collaborative, peer-to-peer space, built by passionate people from universities and communities who simply wanted to connect and share. There was no focus on profit or control – just a desire to create something bigger than ourselves. Over time, however, that spirit faded. The internet became commercial, centralized, and dominated by big tech. Most of us became users of platforms we don’t control, with little ownership over our data or digital lives.
Today, with more than 80% of online content being machine-generated, the internet is losing its human essence. But Kristof believes that change is not only possible – it’s necessary. We need to rethink our relationship with technology, not as something to hide from or fear, but as something that should extend who we are. By embracing transparency, authenticity, and collaboration, we can reshape the internet into a space that reflects the best of humanity.
“What is our hope and passion? How can we restore that playfulness? Now I think it’s possible.”
That’s what ThreeFold is all about. We’re building the foundational infrastructure, compute, storage, and network that empowers people to participate in a decentralized, sovereign internet. While it may not sound exciting, this layer is critical.
To truly shift the balance of power, we need to scale from a few thousand independent nodes to millions. And the best part? Anyone can join. You don’t have to be a tech expert. You can set up a dedicated machine, connect to the network, and become part of this global movement.
“We can create something bigger than ourselves.”
This is more than just infrastructure. It’s a step toward Augmented Collective Intelligence, a world where technology doesn’t replace us, but helps us grow, learn, and create in new ways. It’s about using the internet and AI to uplift each other, not to game the system for personal gain. This is not just a hopeful idea, it’s something we are building together with a passionate community around the world. With enough momentum, this shift is not only achievable but inevitable.
We invite you to listen to Kristof’s full conversation on the Genzio Media podcast and share your thoughts with us. If this vision resonates with you, join us in making it a reality.
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