It feels like just yesterday when I walked into a conference room to discuss the intersection of cloud computing and 5G. A few years ago, this type of presentation was something I gave often. The excitement in the room was palpable—executives were all abuzz with the potential of 5G. As I stood before them, I knew I had to voice my concerns, despite the overwhelming optimism. “Forgive my candor,” I said, “but the promises surrounding 5G are exaggerated. We’re pinning our hopes on a technology that hasn’t yet delivered, and with current adoption patterns, it may not live up to the hype.”
The response was immediate and strong. The room fell into an awkward silence, followed by incredulous looks. “David, you’re mistaken,” one executive said, with a hint of condescension. “5G is the future of cloud!” Others quickly joined in, dismissing my skepticism with ridicule. Once again, I found myself as the sole voice of dissent in a room full of believers, pushing back against the widespread assumption that 5G would revolutionize cloud computing.
In hindsight, I wasn’t wrong about 5G’s slow progress. The promises that were made around it—ultra-fast speeds, seamless cloud integration, and revolutionary improvements in network capacity—have yet to materialize in the way many had anticipated. The reality of 5G adoption and its true impact on cloud computing is far more subdued than the initial hype suggested. So, did I have the right foresight in the long run? Absolutely. But did that help me professionally? Not so much. In fact, I often heard in performance reviews that I needed to “go with the flow” and align more with the prevailing optimism in the room.
Looking back, it’s clear that 5G has not been the game-changer many envisioned for cloud computing. While there have been improvements, especially in certain industries, the transformative leap many predicted remains elusive. As the world continues to adopt and explore new technologies, it’s a reminder that not every trend will live up to its initial promise.