The Master Switch: The Rise and Fall of Information Empires

Every communications medium follows a cycle: it is born open and decentralised, matures, and ends up concentrating into monopolies or oligopolies. The telephone, radio, television, cinema — all followed the same pattern. Wu calls this "the Cycle" and argues that the internet is not immune. A perfect fit for gatopardismo: every technology promises decentralisation and then re-concentrates. The question with AI is whether the cycle will repeat or whether there is something structurally different this time. Wu gives you the vocabulary to stay honest about both possibilities.