John Wroclawski: Models of a Future Internet and Society

John Wroclawski, a pioneer in computer networking, discusses the transformative power of the internet and its foundational concept as a general-purpose network capable of supporting innovations beyond its initial design. He highlights the internet's success as stemming from its flexibility and openness, which have enabled unforeseen applications like the World Wide Web and social media to emerge.
 

Wroclawski reflects on his journey to the Information Sciences Institute (ISI), where he was drawn by its collaborative environment and significant role in shaping the internet's development. He emphasizes ISI's contributions to the open-source movement and the social structures that support the internet's collaborative nature. Wroclawski also discusses the evolving role of ISI as computing becomes a fundamental pillar of society. He envisions ISI addressing societal challenges through interdisciplinary research that integrates computer science with fields such as journalism and medicine.

A critical focus is on cybersecurity, where ISI is pioneering proactive strategies and creating testbeds like the DETER project to model and experiment with cybersecurity scenarios. Additionally, Wroclawski sees potential in machine learning and AI to revolutionize fields like drug discovery, potentially averting the crisis of antibiotic resistance.