Emerging Technology Hubs

Thrilled to see my guest essay in the The New York Times today. I make 5 key points: 1. There’s little clear evidence of AI eliminating jobs at scale yet. But waiting to see is risky. Pittsburgh’s steel towns saw early signs with mini-mills before the losses showed up. Service capitals like London and New York should prepare now rather than after the shock. 2. Diversification helps—but only so much when the disruptor is a general-purpose technology. Generative AI cuts across marketing, accounting, coding, research, and admin. Being “in many industries” isn’t a shield if the same tool touches them all. 3. High-skill, knowledge jobs have big local multipliers. Each manufacturing job supports 1.6 local jobs; each high-skill tech/professional role supports 5. That means even modest losses of analysts, developers, or paralegals can ripple through restaurants, retail, and transit systems. 4. AI needn’t replace workers to matter. It only needs to make work easier. If lets firms do entry-level work elsewhere, cities feel it. As location and experience matter less at the margin, some work will offshored to cheaper places (e.g. India, UAE, or Philippines). 5. The lesson from deindustrialization isn’t inevitability—it’s reinvention. Detroit poured resources into legacy industries and still declined. Boston repeatedly bet on talent, education, and new sectors.

The World Runs on Data and the AI Infrastructure Race Is Going Global There are 11,800 data centers worldwide — the digital backbone powering AI, cloud, finance, gaming, and every click we make. The U.S. dominates with 5,381 with almost half the world’s total… more than the next 20 countries combined. Asia’s power hubs: China, Japan, India, Singapore, Hong Kong. Europe’s core: Germany, France, U.K., Netherlands, Belgium. Yet the largest single site isn’t American, Actually the China Telecom Inner Mongolia Information Park. 2025 – America’s AI Data Center Super-Build The U.S. isn’t resting on its lead….it’s doubling down in the AI era: • Microsoft — $80 B AI data center investment. • Amazon AWS — $11 B in Georgia, $20 B+ AI campuses in Pennsylvania. • Google — $9 B AI/cloud expansion in Oklahoma. • Meta — $29 B Louisiana AI mega-site (“size of Manhattan”). • Oracle + OpenAI’s Stargate — multi-gigawatt AI campuses in Texas. • CoreWeave — 32 U.S. centers, 250,000 GPUs, $6 B PA build-out. • xAI (Elon Musk) — Memphis “Colossus” targeting 1 M GPUs. • TeraWulf + Google — 200 MW Lake Mariner AI facility in NY. • Wyoming mystery project — up to 10 GW power draw (5× all homes in the state). The Middle East Emerges as a New AI Compute Power Saudi Arabia • 33 data centers today, 42 more in development, adding ~2.2 GW IT load. • center3 (STC) — $10 B to hit 1 GW by 2030. • Humain sovereign AI program with 18,000 Nvidia Blackwell GPUs + partnerships with AMD, AWS, Qualcomm. • Market to triple from $1.3 B (2024) to $3.9 B (2030). • NEOM’s Oxagon DataVolt campus — $5 B initial phase, net-zero by 2028. UAE • 5 GW AI/HPC campus in Abu Dhabi with G42 + U.S. partners (largest outside the U.S.). • First phase: 1 GW, mix of solar, nuclear, gas. • Access to 500,000 Nvidia H100s annually under new export rules. • Microsoft–G42 sovereign AI/cloud build as part of becoming the world’s first AI-native government. • Home to MBZUAI which is the world’s first AI university expanding into undergrad AI talent pipelines. Why It Matters Data centers are the new oil fields of the AI economy. Whoever controls the compute, controls the future. The U.S. lead is massive, but Gulf nations are building sovereign AI infrastructure at breakneck speed, fueled by energy abundance, strategic capital, and geopolitical ambition. Questions for the future: • Can the U.S. maintain its edge as global AI demand explodes? • Will the Middle East become the next Silicon Valley for AI compute? • How will sustainability, regulation, and geopolitics redraw the AI infrastructure map? The AI data center arms race has started. Where do you think the next global compute capital will emerge?

Emerging Departments: How AI is Transforming Organizations Transformation in light of AI isn't just about digital change—it's strategic, cultural, and organizational. Early results of organizational optimization with AI reveal that traditional structures are evolving into new, combined departments that break down silos and enhance collaboration. Here are some emerging trends: 1. Human Experience Department (Led by the CXO) Combines marketing, HR, and customer service to create a unified experience approach. Focuses on customer and employee experience as a seamless continuum. Example: Airbnb and Starbucks blending internal and external engagement for holistic experience design. 2. The Intelligence Function (Led by Chief Data & Intelligence Officer (CDIO)) Merges IT, data analytics, and AI strategy into a unified intelligence function. Enhances decision-making with data-driven insights and technology integration. Example: Microsoft and Amazon use intelligence functions to support strategy and innovation. 3. Integrated Growth Department (Led by the CGO) Combines Marketing, Sales, and Customer Success to create cohesive client journeys. Prioritizes growth by aligning customer interactions across all touchpoints. Example: HubSpot and Salesforce driving client experience continuity. 4. Strategic Innovation & Transformation Office (Led by Chief Strategy Officer or Chief Transformation Officer) Combines strategy, innovation, and transformation initiatives for continuous evolution. Fosters agility by integrating foresight and innovation into long-term strategy. Example: Tesla blending innovation with strategic growth planning. 5. Technology and Digital Transformation Department (Led by the Chief Technology & Transformation Officer) Integrates IT, digital transformation, and cybersecurity under one strategic role. Embeds technology into workflows while ensuring security and compliance. Example: Cisco and IBM streamlining their digital transformation efforts. 6. Resilience and Continuity Department (Led by the Chief Risk Officer) Oversees Risk Management, Business Continuity, and Strategic Foresight. Ensures organizational resilience in an increasingly FLUX world. Example: JP Morgan building resilience to mitigate risks and ensure continuity. 7. Ethics and Responsible AI Office (Led by the CEAO) Ensures ethical AI use and compliance with regulatory standards. Maintains trust and integrity as AI becomes central to business strategy. Example: Microsoft and IBM proactively building ethics frameworks for responsible AI. In sum, AI is driving fundamental shifts in how we structure our organizations. To thrive, leaders must think beyond digital transformation and focus on strategic, cultural, and organizational evolution. The companies that succeed will be those that break down silos, integrate their functions, and embrace transformation as a continuous journey.

There’s a German town you’ve probably never heard of… But it just birthed a $4B AI lab working with Meta, Adobe, and Snap. Welcome to Freiburg, population under 250,000. But quietly becoming Europe’s most overlooked AI hotspot. While most eyes are on Paris or London, Freiburg is doing something different: Not just building fast, but building deep. Not chasing hype, but solving real infrastructure, sustainability, and logistics challenges. Not competing with Silicon Valley, but carving its own ethical, academic, applied-AI identity. Startups here aren’t playing small: -> Black Forest Labs: founded by Stability AI alumni. Now Europe’s answer to OpenAI, powering generative tools for global giants. -> RIIICO: digital twins for factories. -> Sereact: warehouse AI that makes 2-person logistics teams competitive. -> Pluvion & Mondas: building AI for water & energy resilience. -> Prior Labs: redefining how we use tabular data in ML. …all backed by Germany’s quietly growing innovation muscle. And it's not just this city, Germany added 1,500 startups in just the first half of 2025. - VC investment up 45% YoY. - 70% of AI startups collaborate directly with universities. - And the government is putting €12B into the startup ecosystem by 2030. We often talk about “ecosystems.” What’s happening in Freiburg is one of the few actually growing like one, across policy, talent, research, and real-world application. The future of European AI might not come from where you expect. And maybe that’s a good thing.

We’re excited to announce the release of JPMorganChase’s 2026 Emerging Technology Trends report. It’s a must-read for anyone interested in the future of technology and innovation in financial services. This year’s report, produced by our Global Technology Strategy, Innovation and Partnerships team, spotlights key trends that are actively transforming our industry: • Context-driven architecture: AI agents are only as effective as the data and tools they access. Building applications rich in context is now essential for delivering standout products and services. • AI infrastructure build out: The growing need for AI inference is fueling investment in hybrid compute architectures, including classical-quantum workflows and neuromorphic systems. The pursuit of quantum advantage is accelerating! • Intent is the new interface: App switching is becoming obsolete. We’re moving toward AI-native environments that anticipate user needs and unify workflows into a single, personalized experience. • AI-powered simulation: Advanced simulations are revolutionizing how we test, validate, and optimize products and processes, enabling faster, safer innovation at scale. These aren’t just forecasts; they’re already influencing how we work, collaborate, and deliver value to our customers every day. Explore the full report for deeper insights and actionable takeaways. Share your thoughts and check out the 2026 Emerging Technology Trends report below!

Why Singapore is Leading the World in Competitiveness 🌏 Singapore’s top ranking in the 2024 IMD World Competitiveness report is no accident—it’s a testament to its strategic vision and policy execution. Here’s why Singapore continues to dominate: 1. Government Efficiency: Singapore is renowned for having a transparent government that responds rapidly to economic shifts. Policies supporting foreign investments and ease of doing business have created a fertile ground for global companies. 2. Business-Friendly Environment: From low taxes to efficient regulatory frameworks, Singapore consistently ranks high for business efficiency. With one of the most streamlined regulatory environments, companies can quickly set up operations and scale without bureaucratic delays. 3. Technological Infrastructure: Singapore’s significant investment in cutting-edge infrastructure, including 5G, AI, and smart city technologies, makes it a leader in tech-driven innovation. These advancements not only fuel local industries but also make Singapore a hub for multinational corporations looking to test and deploy new tech solutions. 4. Talent & Education: Singapore’s robust education system and its ability to attract top global talent keep the workforce highly skilled and adaptable. This talent pipeline has been pivotal in sectors such as finance, biotechnology, and information technology. 5. Adaptability & Innovation: While many nations struggle to adapt to rapid changes, Singapore excels in staying agile, from adapting to green energy solutions to fostering digital trade agreements. The newly concluded digital trade agreement with the EU is just one example of how Singapore positions itself as a global innovation hub. This blend of stability, innovation, and efficiency has helped Singapore weather global economic storms and retain its status as a top global business hub. For businesses looking to thrive in the region, Singapore’s commitment to staying ahead of the curve is a powerful draw. 🚀 Are you ready to leverage Singapore’s unique advantages?

The ultimate book that I've been searching for years 📕   For those who know me (or follow my content), you'd know that I love learning geography, history and culture of different countries. I often procrastinate by reading random Wikipedia articles and exploring cities on Google Maps street view. I especially love maps…so much so that I even started the websites "Global AI Regulation Tracker" and "Note2Map", which are all about tracking stuff on a world map!   An angle that I'm always curious about is "tech geography". i.e. the 'soft' culture, mindsets, language, stories and habits that shape a tech hub or smart city (beyond government regulation, policies and programs). For a while, I had been looking for a book *specifically* on modern geography of tech hubs around the world (not just Silicon Valley).   Indeed, it's a niche ask. I didn't expect there would be any book of this kind, and that it would be on me to read widely and connect the dots myself.   But finally, I stumbled upon this newly published book in my local bookstore. True to its title, *The New Geography of Innovation (2025)* by Mehran Gul dives into the 'secret sauce' behind the tech hubs of US, China, UK, South Korea, Singapore, Switzerland, Germany and Canada.   When I say 'secret sauce', I'm talking about really specific and fascinating fact nuggets, such as: 💡 The history of Tsinghua University and the origin of China's tech talent 💡 How minor kinks in California's labour laws shaped Silicon Valley 💡 The 3 cycles of Korean tech entrepreneurship 💡 How tech talent runs deep in Singapore government 💡 How Swiss university fee structure and trains led to a tech boom 💡 How evolving family-business culture will shape the future of German tech   Gul provides balanced narratives, backed up with countless case studies and authentic expert interviews, all tied together in an engaging fun-to-read story.   This is not a sponsored post btw. I genuinely cherish this book, and actually read it twice (first for leisure, second for notetaking). It's a book that I'll regularly refer back to whenever I study a new country. It's one book worth 10 books. Highly recommend it. #book #tech #read #digital #recommend

AstraZeneca and Eli Lilly and Company launch digital health and AI innovation hubs in the Philippines and India >> 🇵🇭AstraZeneca will launch a Health Innovation Hub in the Philippines to attract investment and position the country as an ASEAN center for pharma, R&D, and digital health 🇵🇭 Its first project, an Oncology Innovation Center, will use AI for early cancer detection, expand patient support, and build healthcare workforce capacity 🇵🇭 The hub will drive collaboration and investment through business forums, B2B match-making, and regulatory support within ecozones 🇮🇳Eli Lilly has opened a Technology and Innovation Centre in Hyderabad’s Hitech City, set to expand from 100 staff to 1,500 by 2026–27, serving as a global hub for digital and technology capabilities 🇮🇳 The centre will focus on AI, automation, cloud, and software engineering, acting as a nerve centre linking Lilly’s global sites and accelerating medicine discovery and delivery 🇮🇳 Positioned as a centre of innovation rather than back-office support, it will bring together top talent in AI, data science, and engineering to drive digital transformation in pharma 💬 It’s great to see pharma innovation expanding across south and south east Asia, let’s hope the fruits are transformative vs just incremental #digitalhealth #ai #pharma

From Consumers to Creators- the shift is here! The UAE is no longer just a consumer of technology; it is becoming a key global contributor. The future of technological innovation is being built here, and the world is taking notice. Microsoft’s recent announcement to establish two AI research centers, as well as an Engineering Development Center, in the UAE is a clear signal that the biggest players are now recognizing the region’s true potential. Likewise, the NVIDIA partnership to launch a climate tech lab further cements the UAE’s leadership in developing cutting-edge tech solutions to address some of the world's biggest challenges. The days of simply setting up sales and marketing offices are giving way to a new era of meaningful R&D and engineering hubs, marking a shift as the UAE attracts a new wave of world-class talent and drives technological breakthroughs. My experience has taught me that building thriving entrepreneurship and innovation ecosystems requires more than just VCs and startup incubators. We need the big global players to establish these research and development centers that can collaborate with academia to drive IP creation and commercialization, as well as facilitate knowledge transfer to our homegrown talent. This helps creates the network effects necessary to build critical mass and momentum, fostering a sustainable ecosystem that empowers regional innovators to build the next generation of disruptive ventures. All eyes on the UAE as it shapes the new economy! 🚀 https://lnkd.in/dPCJqCAc #research #technology #innovation #entrepreneurship #uae

When we chose Pune as EduFund’s tech hub, people asked — “Oh… Why not Bangalore?” I get it. Bangalore is likened to Silicon Valley. Everyone wants to be there. But here’s what I’ve learned after building here for a few years: Pune isn’t trying to compete with anyone. It’s just quietly doing its thing. → Last month, 28 Global Capability Centers like UPS, Hitachi, HSBC, Michelin, set up operations here. More than Bangalore in the same period.  → The city’s GDP per capita is around $33,000 (PPP), one of the highest in India. → Over 3,200 startups are headquartered here.  → Four unicorns have come from this city. → But the data isn’t what sold me on Pune. It’s the energy, people here are ambitious, and grounded.  → Here the talent is not distracted by the “next big thing” every other week. They actually have mental space to think, build, and create. → Operating costs are 30-40% lower, which means salaries go further, rent doesn’t crush anyone, and our runway lasts longer. → We’re 75 km from Mumbai, so investor meetings are a short drive away. But when it’s time to focus and execute... this is where it happens. We didn’t choose Pune to be contrarian. Or did we... 🙂 Jokes aside, Pune doesn’t need to become the “next Bangalore.” It’s building its own identity. I love being part of this story – watching spaces, industries and people evolve. What do you think, is Pune one of India’s most underestimated growth city?