Interviewee, Ruud Hendrikx: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rjghx/
“Blockchain had a really interesting premise: privacy by design.”
Ruud Hendrikx used to work closely with Blockchain, absorbed in that tech focused fervour and now with the next.
“This time feels different” slight humility detected, “there are many more use cases… more applications for ML.”
“There are incredible inefficiencies out there”, but we agree a radical change is required for true data centricity – too much infrastructural inertia.
We debate whether the ‘new born’ tech firms will reset the market landscape: new entities benefit from starting with the best tech, but the old hats have the capital.
Power can only 1) concentrate or 2) distribute. Nevertheless, we’re at a cross roads; we can’t not choose a direction. Either, 1) a future of centralised, data powered governance, versus 2) a decentralised future that has built-in privacy and independence.
Right now, both seem as likely. Global blocs are making different decisions.
We reach into our guts for a less unsettling conclusion.
“People would resist.”
I’m not sure who spoke.
We’re both nodding slowly.
“It would just take a minority.” The wolves never comfortable as sheep.
Like in economics, a privacy equilibrium will take a long time to be found and the journey will be a volatile one.