The AI Brokers
Tech giants (Google, Amazon, Microsoft, etc.) are positioning themselves to be the global providers of "cloud-based AI services." They aim to sit between every consumer and every supplier, taking a cut of the transaction and—more importantly—capturing the data.
Assistants as Interns
Virtual assistants (Siri, Alexa, etc.) can be thought of as "interns" that we pay to have in our homes. They perform small tasks for us, but their real job is to learn how to speak, listen, and predict our needs.
This data gives these companies an unassailable advantage in training the next generation of AI, creating a winner-take-all dynamic that locks out smaller competitors and sovereign nations alike.
The Medium for the Robot Economy
The Internet of Things (IoT) is the infrastructure that allows the machine economy to function. When your fridge orders milk, or a drone directs a harvester, that is the IoT.
If this infrastructure is entirely privatized and owned by foreign tech giants, Australia loses control over its own economic nervous system.