Are We Still Pretending Big Tech Isn't the Only Game in Town?
Every few months, it seems, another chorus of analysts and doomsayers pipes up to declare that the golden age of Big Tech is over. They point to regulatory threats, market saturation, and eye watering valuations as proof that the party is finally winding down. And every few months, I find myself thinking, are we really still having this conversation? To me, questioning the long term prospects of these giants feels a bit like standing on a beach and betting against the tide. You might win for a few minutes, but you know how it’s going to end.
These companies, the Apples, Microsofts, and Amazons of the world, are not just businesses anymore. They are, for all intents and purposes, modern utilities. They are the digital plumbing through which our lives, our work, and our economies now flow. You can try to live without them, just as you could try to live without electricity or running water, but it would be a rather difficult and inconvenient existence. This deep integration into the fabric of society creates a competitive moat so wide and deep that most rivals simply drown trying to cross it.