Anil Gupta: Globalization is not that simple

There is a clear Cold War between the US and China, but it differs from the one between the US and the Soviet Union and is «far more dangerous». The warning is given by Anil Gupta, the renowned expert on globalization, emerging markets and innovation, who guarantees that China is not, in economic terms, a «pygmy» like the Soviet power was compared to the American «giant».

Analysing what the specialist considers to be «the biggest geopolitical issue of our time», the expert argues that China is a «technological, industrial, economic and military power», pointing out that the relationship with the US is not really improving.

In addition to the clash between superpowers, Anil Gupta says that «the growth of emerging markets» has also fuelled geopolitical tensions.

While in 2000 there were 20 emerging economies, today their number has more than doubled. And the growth of these economies is expected to remain stable over the next few years, emphasizes the expert. This means that the emerging markets - China and India, but also Indonesia, Brazil and Nigeria - are becoming not only important in economic terms but also in political terms.

Rated by Thinkers50 as «one of the world's most influential management thinkers», Anil Gupta recalls the risk associated with supply chains, which the pandemic has already highlighted. The case of medical equipment used in the US is paradigmatic. Over the last 20 years, most of the gloves used by US surgeons have come from China. ‘In the event of a conflict with China, ‘would the US want to be dependent on such a simple item?’.

Another positive aspect of globalization is technology. In this interview, Gupta considers that ‘Artificial Intelligence is the most powerful technology that mankind has ever invented’.

But he reminds us of the risks associated with it in the long term. «In 50 years, will AI treat humans the way we treat ants today?».