Big Tech’s dominance is set to face its biggest challenge yet in 2025. Critics from across the political spectrum are uniting to critique the centralized power of incumbent tech giants, citing concerns over surveillance, information control, and the concentration of vast power in a few hands.
The consequences of Big Tech’s business model are becoming increasingly obvious. The CrowdStrike outage in mid-2024, which affected critical infrastructure globally, is just one example of how corner-cutting by Microsoft led to catastrophic failures. Another reason for Big Tech’s impending downfall is the loss of steam in the AI market, with major investors like Goldman Sachs and Sequoia Capital expressing concerns over its disconnect from reality.
The public’s appetite for privacy has never been higher, and AI’s reliance on sensitive data is exacerbating this issue. The recent announcement of Microsoft’s Recall product, which would capture screenshots of user activity to create a “perfect memory” of their actions, highlights the erosion of privacy that AI brings.
However, these challenges are also creating opportunities for bold new visions for alternatives that prioritize democracy, independence, and transparency. Initiatives in Europe are exploring independent core tech infrastructure, while tech investors are developing models of funding for mission-aligned projects that reject surveillance and social control.
The Sovereign Tech Fund in Germany is a promising example of this shift, distributing state funds to core open-source infrastructures governed independently. As Big Tech’s dominance falters, a new ecosystem is emerging that will prioritize innovation and benefit over profit and control. The smartest and most interested people will once again have the resources and clearance to design and rebuild a tech industry that is genuinely innovative and built for good.
Source: https://www.wired.com/story/the-beginning-of-the-end-of-big-tech