New York Times:
Amazon isn’t the only company seeking to become the operating system for everyday life. Apple and Google also offer smart speakers and are partnering with appliance manufacturers. Apple has opened up its HomeKit requirements to make it easier for manufacturers and developers to incorporate its digital assistant, Siri. Google has spent the past year aggressively pushing its connected home assistant.
What this means is that sometime in the next decade, all the start-ups and hardware manufacturers and the rest of the A.I. ecosystem will converge around just a few systems. All of us will have to accept a new order and pledge our allegiance to one of the few companies that now act as the operating systems for everyday life.
Once your data, gadgets, appliances, cars and services are entangled, you’ll be locked in to Amazon, Google or Apple.
This is an interesting, if admittedly first world, dilemma.
Yup, country lines will fade and be replaced by ‘ecosystems’ that will provide 99% of your communication & entertainment needs. 99% of all transactions will go through said ‘ecosystem’. So you better hope you choose the right one, because extricating yourself from it will be costly & onerous.
If only country lines could be fully replaced by genuine alternatives that provided a seamless transfer of all assets paid into a country’s “ecosystem.” Hell, I’d apply for citizenship in Applevania.
So, would that mean all taxes would level out to Apple’s tried and true, 30% for all user-member-citizens?
All good until Apple elects a new CEO that’s not so scrupulous about personal privacy or other human rights.
You mean, like what we have now?
I guess, but I pay more like 50% in taxes at the end of the day.
Assuming one rate for everything? If so, Apple could likely deliver on actual public services—including social programs—as promised.
I think Apple is far too sensible to try to run a country. 🙂
Assuming the continued takeover of the kakistocracy, they may end up with little choice.