Lately I’ve found myself asking more questions about the direction the world is heading in, as rapid advances in technology continue to reshape politics and society. This isn’t written from a place of certainty or ideology, but from curiosity.
Since the early 1990s, we have experienced a period of significant globalisation and growth. Much of this has been beneficial for humanity, though depending on perspective there are also concerns that it has not been as uniformly positive as it may appear.
Reflecting on this, I believe we need to be more aware of the globalisation process, its broader impact, and how decisions made by those in positions of power will continue to shape the world we live in.
As AI systems become more capable, they are increasingly being treated as strategic assets. Much like earlier eras were defined by competition over nuclear and military technology, future global influence may be shaped by who develops, controls, and exports advanced AI systems.
This raises a broader question about what comes next in the evolution of global systems. As AI becomes a strategic capability, access to it may not be evenly distributed. Governments are already beginning to regulate and restrict advanced technologies, and it is possible that AI will increasingly be controlled through licensing, export rules, or even international agreements between aligned nations. In this context, countries that do not develop their own sovereign AI systems may find themselves dependent on external providers, with access that may become conditional on shifting political and economic relationships.
It is still too early to define exactly what comes after globalisation in its current form. What is clear, however, is that the systems shaping global power are evolving rapidly, and the implications of that evolution are only beginning to be understood.