Cloudwalkers
CLOUDWALKERS
ISI and the Inventors of the Internet
In 1972, following the release of the Pentagon Papers, a small institute in Los Angeles was given the power to design, develop and run the Internet. What followed was one of the greatest explosions of information in human history.
Narrated by Paul Mockapetris, the inventor of the DNS, this film takes us from the birth of the Internet to securing cyberspace and the rise of AI.
About The Film
"Cloudwalkers" chronicles the journey of the pioneering minds at USC's Information Sciences Institute, the visionary engineers who laid the foundation for the internet. Working on the shores of the Pacific, this legendary group ignited a technological revolution that redefined how we connect, communicate, and innovate—transforming fields as diverse as medicine, sports, and space exploration. This documentary uncovers the untold story of the internet’s origins and the seismic shifts it set in motion, ushering in The Second Machine Age. But with such extraordinary progress came profound dilemmas. The very architects of this digital frontier now grapple with the unintended consequences of their creation, torn between the promise it once held and the challenges it has introduced. Through their triumphs, setbacks, and evolving perspectives, Cloudwalkers offers an intimate look at the human side of innovation—where ambition collides with responsibility, and the future remains unwritten.
Meet Some of the Featured Pioneers
Paul Mockapetris
Paul Mockapetris revolutionized the Internet by inventing the Domain Name System (DNS) at USC’s Information Sciences Institute in the 1980s. As Director of ISI’s High Performance Computing and Communications Division, he played a pivotal role in shaping the digital world we live in today.
Eve Schooler
Eve Schooler is acclaimed for her contributions to internet standards for distributed computing and multimedia over the net. Notably, she is one of the designers of the Session Initiation Protocol, which enables videoconferencing and other forms of real-time communication.
Vint Cerf
Recognized as one of the "Fathers of the Internet" and Presidential Medal of Freedom honoree, Vint Cerf co-designed TCP/IP, foundational to internet communications and governance.
Terry Benzel
Terry Benzel, a cybersecurity expert, has significantly enhanced digital infrastructure resilience through advanced cyber defense strategies, secure internet architectures, and large-scale network testing.
Deborah Estrin
Deborah Estrin, one of the most-referenced computer scientists of all time, pioneered sensor networks, revolutionizing data access in modern science. She was elected to the National Academy of Engineering for her wireless sensing systems for environmental monitoring.
Craig Knoblock
Craig Knoblock is a computer scientist and AI expert known for his work in data integration and information extraction. He has advanced AI and data science with his innovations in knowledge graphs and semantic web technologies, transforming diverse data sources into actionable insights.
Yolanda Gil
Yolanda Gil has advanced AI applications by creating systems that streamline scientific workflows and improve data analysis, transforming how scientists collaborate to tackle large-scale problems.