The internet is a giant database: Tim Berners Lee talks about the future

I caught a really fascinating talk from the man who invented the internet Tim Berners Lee that introduces the idea that the internet is essential becoming a giant database. 

Ajax, Web services, Mash ups. They're the current solutions. He goes further to say that done properly all applications could unleash their potential by providing apis directly to data. Providing quick answers to the questions we ask. The current interfaces may become less relevant quickly because the cost of maintenance may become too high. 

This assumes that there will be providers who specialise in taking this data and making it relevant. But then that's already happening isn't it.