"The Web as I envisaged it, we have not seen it yet. The future is still so much bigger than the past"

Tim Berners-Lee, the creator of the World Wide Web, reflects on the trajectory and unrealized potential of the technological revolution he began decades ago. His words express both a sense of longing and optimism. Despite the massive impact that the web has already had on society, transforming communication, commerce, education, and culture, Berners-Lee points out that the web as he originally imagined it remains incomplete. The guiding vision was of a universal platform enabling collaboration, open access, and seamless sharing of information, where people would be empowered, not manipulated or constrained by walled gardens, surveillance, and misinformation.

The acknowledgment that "the future is still so much bigger than the past" leaps beyond nostalgia or criticism. Rather, it functions as a call to action for those building and using the web today. It recognizes the extraordinary growth and innovation that has occurred since the web’s inception, but insists that the possibilities ahead dwarf what has already been accomplished. As digital technology becomes even more interwoven with daily life, through artificial intelligence, decentralized systems, virtual and augmented reality, and more, new opportunities for creativity, community, and problem-solving will arise.

Underlying Berners-Lee’s perspective is an invitation to rethink how technology evolves. It’s a statement about values and intentions. The internet can be far more than a tool for profit, entertainment, or distraction; it can be a means of empowering individuals, lifting communities, supporting democracy, and enhancing human understanding. By suggesting that the current web falls short of its true promise, he encourages technologists, policymakers, and users to collaboratively strive for a better version, one that serves humanity as he first imagined. The future’s boundlessness inspires both humility about what has been achieved and hope in continuing to build, envision, and dream.