​For our May online book discussion, Austin Forum Executive Director Jay Boisseau will lead us in a conversation about the book “The Spatial Web: How Web 3.0 will connect humans, machines and AI to transform the world. Authors Dan Mapes and Gabriel René dive into the world wide web’s past, present, and future in this illuminating and optimistic global call to action. Understanding the web’s development and the Internet’s dark sides that have sprouted with these developments, provides society the opportunity to anticipate what is in the future and prepare for it. While there are potential risks to AI, AR and VR, robotics, IoT, and more, Mapes and René explore how the convergence of these technologies with human cognition will foster the Spatial Web, an iteration of the web that holds the Internet and its players accountable in a way it hasn’t before. The authors are optimistic that this is an inevitable evolution of the Internet, but recognize and demand the cooperation of companies, governments, and individuals in ethical practices, social codes, and protocols. Web 3.0 offers exciting possibilities that promise a connected and sustainable future if we make the right decisions about the Spatial Web now. Join us as we discuss these possibilities and the steps of how we get there.