/Tech4h ago

Google DeepMind's Séb Krier argues developing nations can leapfrog with AI but still require institutional and political reforms

Tech journalist Sharon Goldman countered that these historical governance issues remain unsolved

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I don't think so. I do think it gets to richer countries first, but I think as with other technologies you can get leapfrogging, and the economic impacts/consumer surplus will be highly beneficial to poorer countries too (as with other tech). But of course it's not sufficient - tech alone doesn't fix everything, you need institutions, political reform, crushing corruption and autocracy and so on.

Sharon Goldman@sharongoldman

@sebkrier Doesn't this sound like a view of the future created by elites? I can't imagine someone in the slums of third-world countries thinking this could possibly trickle down to them in any way.

10:20 AM · Jul 4, 2026 · 288 Views

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Séb Krier@sebkrier

I'm not claiming 'everything has been fixed', nor that everything will be fixed. I'm just saying it's possible, that technology can help a lot, and that it's useful to have positive/aspirational depictions of what a desirable future might look like.

Whether AI will worsen things, or how to benefit all, are separate questions; for the former Q, I don't think that's true - I'm not saying there are no negative impacts, just that the overall effects will be positive. I appreciate some people disagree, but that's my view of the evidence of technological change and growth. And for the latter, I agree we want benefits to accrue widely! I have thoughts on this too (the 'how') but want to write a proper piece about it sometimes. I don't think the answer is fundamentally different than it has been for other technologies.

Sharon Goldman@sharongoldman

@sebkrier Certainly. But not things like political corruption, autocracy, industrial capture and the like. And many believe AI will worsen those things. Again, how could the AGI future you lay out possibly benefit *all*?

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Sharon Goldman@sharongoldman

I appreciate that - genuinely trying to understand. The other thing I don't get is whether you assume this view of the future would be widely aspired to? Humanity is quite diverse and imagine there are many, many, many ways folks would want the future to play out and this would not necessarily be it.

3h211

Séb Krier@sebkrier

@sharongoldman What do you mean? So many things *have* been solved/been improving over time: https://ourworldindata.org/much-better-awful-can-be-better

3h201

Sharon Goldman@sharongoldman

@sebkrier It's hard for me to understand the point of this thought exercise then - the other issues have not been solved in the history of humanity.

3h12

Séb Krier@sebkrier

:) I don't think it's one that everyone would necessarily aspire to - it's just a vision I personally think is desirable. Many people will have other preferences, or be more creative in what they imagine.

I've written about polycentrism before, and one reason I like liberal democracy is that I think it's the political system that allows different conceptions of the Good to coexist, and because it's the most effective at resolving disagreements about what good looks like.

3h20

Sharon Goldman@sharongoldman

3h9