Manufacturing Intelligence: Who Benefits from the AI Build-Out? (Part 2)

In the second part of their conversation, Hirander Misra and Geoffrey Levene turn to who really benefits from the AI build-out. Geoffrey argues that data centres in the Global South should serve local populations, not just foreign offtake, and makes the case for upskilling the young, fast-growing workforces of Africa, Latin America and Southeast Asia.

He also identifies the infrastructure he believes is missing from today's debate: distributed, AI-enabled manufacturing that turns local raw materials into energy and infrastructure on site. The episode closes on policy, why not every nation needs a gigafactory, and the opportunity for countries to produce, use and export their own intelligence.

Missed Part 1? Start there for Geoffrey's view on AI as infrastructure and the rise of sovereign AI.