We are witnessing a silent but profound transformation on the global stage: the rise of artificial intelligence (AI). ChatGPT (OpenAI), Claude (Anthropic), Gemini (Google DeepMind), Bing AI (Microsoft), Ernie Bot (Baidu), Tongyi Qianwen (Alibaba), Copilot (GitHub/Microsoft), Llama 2 & Llama 3 (Meta AI), Perplexity AI Pi… and many other agents are forming a chain of technological revolution that is not limited to innovation, but represents something much greater: power.
We are facing a technological cold war, where nations and corporations compete for supremacy in data, knowledge, and economic power through AI technology. According to IDC, artificial intelligence will contribute US$19.9 trillion to the global economy by 2030, representing 3.5% of global GDP. This projection reflects the rapid adoption of AI across various sectors, driving digital transformation on a global scale and, as a result, bringing status and power to the companies and countries that create them. In other words: the race has already begun, and the finish line does not exist. If it did, it would become more distant with each new creation of intelligent agents.
Historically, the United States has dominated the AI landscape, with giants like OpenAI, Google, and Microsoft setting global standards. However, China has emerged as a technological powerhouse, challenging this dominance. A notable example of this advancement is Deepseek, a Chinese company that recently launched an AI model focused on predictive analysis of consumer behaviors and trends. This technology aims to anticipate consumer wants and needs, allowing companies to adjust their market strategies with surgical precision. In the financial sector, this translates into more assertive predictions about risk behaviors and credit trends, potentially redefining the rules of the game in markets such as retail, marketing, and financial services—yet another example of AI’s market power.
Meanwhile, Intel, the American semiconductor giant, recently appointed its new CEO with the mission of repositioning the company in a market where competitors like Nvidia and AMD have gained prominence. The importance of this move is clear: without cutting-edge chips, AIs cannot operate in real time, and the competitive advantage is lost. Investment in AI chips is expected to exceed $300 billion by the end of the decade, making this battle for hardware dominance essential to the future of technology.
Meta, formerly Facebook, is also stepping up its investments in generative AI. Its advanced models aim to personalize ads and create immersive digital experiences, transforming the way we consume content. Furthermore, advances in generative image and video AI, such as OpenAI’s Sora and Google’s Gemini AI, are revolutionizing audiovisual content production. Imagine high-quality advertising campaigns being created in minutes, without the need for traditional film crews… This future is already a reality.
AI redesigning businesses in different sectors
However, the AI revolution transcends the technology sector, impacting areas such as finance, retail, and marketing. The ability to predict consumer behaviors and trends enables greater personalization, changing the dynamics between companies and consumers. In the financial sector, predictive models improve risk management and decision-making, while in retail, real-time data analysis redefines market strategies and customer relationships..
In the financial market, this scenario demands deep reflection. If AI can anticipate behavior, it also redefines risk perception. If it can generate content and campaigns in real time, it creates new dynamics of consumption and loyalty. The future of credit, default analysis, and customer relationships is now being shaped by algorithms that operate incessantly. More than ever, ethics, transparency, and governance in the use of AI must go hand in hand with innovation. Because, in this technological cold war, whoever leads artificial intelligence will not only dominate the market but also define the course of the new world that is emerging.
The race for AI supremacy ushers in a new era of global competition, where efficiency, innovation, and strategy will determine the leaders of the future. Companies and nations that successfully balance these factors, respecting ethical and social values, will be best positioned to lead this transformation. History shows us that in periods of intense technological competition, opportunities arise to redefine human progress. It is up to us, as a society, to guide this evolution toward a more just future.
