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Digital Disruption with Geoff Nielson

Digital Disruption with Geoff Nielson

There Is No AI Race. Inside the Trillion-Dollar Lie

Sep 14, 2026 · 1h 21m

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Why have the United States and China pulled so far ahead in the global technology race? Mehran Gul, author of The New Geography of Innovation, argues that the answer goes far beyond individual companies or breakthrough technologies. In this episode, we sit down with Mehran to discuss how successful innovation ecosystems are actually built, why Silicon Valley remains so difficult to replicate, and how China rapidly emerged as a global technology superpower. We also talk about why Europe and India have struggled to produce technology giants at the same scale, and how talent, capital, universities, government, and entrepreneurship shape long-term competitiveness. Mehran also breaks down the…