Look at AWS’s portfolio of services, and it’s clear: cloud is overcomplicated.
At its core, the cloud is simple—a server, wrapped in a container, running somewhere. That’s it.
But then the layers get added. A database for optimization. A service like Vercel to simplify deployments. Each layer adds value, but also complexity.
What if we stripped it back?
Imagine local-first apps. On-device compute. The cloud reduced to a simple syncing mechanism. No sprawling infrastructure. Just lightweight coordination.
This could address 90% of cloud use cases.
But there’s a catch: the business model. Complexity creates lock-in. Lock-in creates revenue. Simplifying the cloud might benefit businesses, but it undercuts the providers profiting from its complexity.
Still, I believe this shift is coming. Simpler, smarter cloud solutions are not just possible—they’re inevitable.