The provided text offers a comprehensive overview of the internet's evolution, tracing its origins from a Cold War military project designed for network survivability to its current role as the foundation of digital transformation. It highlights key technological breakthroughs such as packet switching, TCP/IP, and the Domain Name System (DNS), which collectively enabled global connectivity. The document further explores the World Wide Web's emergence and the rise of graphical browsers that popularized internet use, leading to the dot-com boom and bust of the late 1990s. Finally, it details the shift to Web 2.0's participatory model and the profound societal and economic impact of digital transformation, driven by technologies like cloud computing, AI, and IoT, while also addressing challenges such as the digital divide and misinformation.

Research done with the help of artificial intelligence, and presented by two AI-generated hosts.