Wang Jian’s 2016 Future Forum Speech: Internet, Data, and Computing as the New Fire, New World, and Steam Engine

On January 17, 2016, the Future Forum annual meeting was held in Beijing, gathering top scientists, business leaders, artists, educators, and industry elites. Alibaba Group CTO Dr. Wang Jian delivered a compelling speech that was later published on the forum’s WeChat public account.

Wang emphasized that the three concepts of the internet, data, and computing have become so ingrained in modern life that their profound impact is often overlooked. He argued that, from a long‑term perspective, the internet’s influence on humanity is comparable to the discovery of fire, the opening of new continents, and the invention of the steam engine.

He likened the internet to fire, suggesting that people may underestimate its long‑term significance just as early humans underestimated the benefits of cooked food. For data, he compared its discovery to Columbus’s encounter with the Americas, a sudden realization that a new world existed and could be explored for years. Regarding computing, he equated its impact to the steam engine, noting that it amplifies human capability far beyond the limits of muscle and brain.

Wang also highlighted three historic scientific tools—telescopes, microscopes, and radar—as disruptive inventions that reshaped humanity’s view of the universe, the microscopic world, and strategic warfare. He argued that the internet, data, and computing play a similarly revolutionary role today.

From an industry perspective, Wang described the internet as the most critical infrastructure for modern society—comparable to a road linking villages or a ship connecting continents. He noted that today the internet is more influential than any past infrastructure, even electricity, because it underpins communication, commerce, and education.

Data, he said, has become a new primary production material, akin to natural resources of the past. As data accumulates at unprecedented speed, it creates massive opportunities for industries, while computing, like the steam engine, extracts value from this data, driving scientific and commercial breakthroughs.

Wang reflected on historical innovators, asserting that besides Einstein, Edison and Tesla should also be remembered. He used their rivalry over AC versus DC electricity to illustrate the relationship between entrepreneurs and capital, emphasizing the importance of mathematical knowledge in technological advancement.

He also questioned the true nature of innovation, observing that many “new” ideas are simply old concepts realized with modern technology such as virtual reality, robotics, and artificial intelligence. He warned that today’s innovators often lack genuinely novel ideas, merely applying advanced tools to longstanding problems.

In conclusion, Wang stated that we currently possess powerful technologies that enable us to realize old ideas, linking the internet and the human brain as the two most important computational systems. He expressed a personal hope for a balanced future, suggesting that extending human lifespan indefinitely may be unfair, and that humanity should eventually move to a different realm of existence.