Does Crypto Resemble the Internet or a Computer More

Source: Orange Book
Starting from an article I read a few days ago,
“A16Z’s two founders: What are the differences between the AI boom and the Internet boom?”
:
“From a technical standpoint, Marc Andreessen believes that the Internet is a network, while AI is more like a computer.
The Internet is essentially a network that connects many existing computers and facilitates the creation of new ones. It is primarily driven by network effects, with the value of the network increasing as more people join, prompting the construction of new types of computers to connect to the Internet.
AI, especially large language models, is a new type of computer, a probabilistic, neural network-based computer that is very different from traditional von Neumann architecture (deterministic computer).
The development of AI is more similar to the era of microprocessors or mainframes. It processes data, learns from it, and generates outputs. It is an information processing system, not a network.”
Naturally, I began to wonder, from a technical standpoint, is Crypto more like a network or a computer?
Although Ethereum once had a dream of a “world computer,” public chains did indeed play a role as a different kind of computer, pursuing decentralization over efficiency, a path that traditional computers have not explored. However, I still believe that Crypto is more like a network for several reasons:
The core value of Crypto is a value transmission network, and to achieve this core value, it needs a different computer architecture. The computational properties of Crypto are tools, while network properties are the goal.
The network effect of Crypto is incredibly strong. The first-mover advantage and lock-in effects are quite apparent, and even if later entrants have superior technology, surpassing them remains difficult.
Looking at it from another angle, an Internet pioneer once told me that he believes Crypto, like the Internet, is more software-oriented, while AI, like smartphones, is more hardware-oriented. When revolutionary changes occur in the former, people tend not to notice and take some time to react, possibly because the network needs to be large enough to demonstrate its full power. The latter is different; hardware has a stronger physical presence, and the differences between ChatGPT and the iPhone were immediately noticeable.
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