The Tech Council of Australia share 5 pointers to be on the AI ride . Maria Macnamara shares them succinctly in her LinkedIn post
Now's the time to be brave and act.
๐Develop your vision.
๐Choose your niche and own it.
...
๐ฅThere are many things to consider - here are 5 to get you started:
1. be deliberate, move fast and collaborate. There's absolutely no time to waste.
2. plan for the transition of your workforce - they who will need to be re- educated, reskilled, redeployed, retained or retired. AI reduces weeks to minutes.
3. manage the impact on the #environment
4. be conscious of security. The cyber threat is on a whole new level.
5. be alert and alive to what's happening globally - clearly in China and the USA, Middle East, the Stans, the Global South and Africa. Enormous investments are being made there.
VET in NSW have identified the evolving digital skill needs across seven key vocational education sectors in NSW:
Through extensive research, surveys, focus groups, and stakeholder consultations, the project found that 94% of respondents believe jobs now demand more digital skills than just two years ago, yet over 93% reported a significant gap between industry requirements and current training offerings.
Foundational digital competencies such as cyber security, cloud computing, data analysis, and effective digital communication are now baseline expectations across all sectors.
There were 10 cross-industry digital foundation skills that were consistently identified as critical to workforce readiness:
1. Digital literacy (ICT use and navigation)
2. Online communication and collaboration
3. Cyber security awareness
4. Data entry and digital record-keeping
5. Use of workplace-specific software
6. Problem solving with digital tools
7. Online customer service etiquette
8. Digital scheduling and time management tools
9. Remote work protocols and virtual meetings
10. Social media and content creation for business use
These skills support not only individual employability but also organisational resilience and adaptability in an increasingly digital economy.
Inspired by insights from the All-In Podcast with Scott Bessent, Howard Lutnick, Chris Wright, and Doug Burgum
Over the past 200 years, history has repeatedly shown that every seismic shift in innovation—while initially feared—has ultimately led to higher productivity, better living standards, and an expanded workforce.
From the industrial revolution to the digital age, new technologies have displaced some jobs but created many more in return, reshaping society for the better.
Today, we stand at the edge of a new paradigm: Artificial Intelligence
Lessons from the Past
In the recent All-In Podcast episode featuring financial luminaries and political leaders like Scott Bessent, Howard Lutnick, Chris Wright, and Doug Burgum, a compelling case was made for how AI is following a familiar arc of disruption—and opportunity. They placed AI in the context of:
The Railway Boom – which shrunk vast continents and created global trade.
The Airplane Age – opening the skies for commerce and culture.
The Moon Landing – galvanizing innovation and national pride.
Reagan’s Deregulatory 1980s – which unleashed capital markets.
The Internet Explosion of the 1990s – digitizing communication and commerce.
The Smartphone and Social Media Era of the 2010s – which changed how we interact and transact.
Each innovation came with existential hand-wringing over jobs and security. Each time, humanity adapted—and thrived.
AI: A Force for Growth, Not Fear
As Scott Bessent pointed out, AI will not shrink the workforce—it will grow it. But in new, unpredictable ways.
Yes, some repetitive, manual tasks may be automated. But AI will:
Unlock new industries and creative roles
Empower small businesses and solopreneurs
Democratize expertise and education
Accelerate scientific discovery and medical breakthroughs
Doug Burgum, with his experience in technology and governance, argued that AI could be the tool that helps governments do more with less—increasing productivity in the public sector, much like what Reagan’s deregulation did for the private sector in the ’80s.
The Challenges That Lie Ahead
However, AI doesn’t operate in a vacuum. As highlighted by the podcast panel:
Geopolitical tensions, especially around China selling U.S. treasuries, raise questions about global trust in the U.S. financial system.
High debt levels, interest rates, inflation, and tariffs may slow down adoption if capital becomes too expensive.
The U.S. might even face a shift away from traditional Treasury Bills—will the next “currency” of trust be data and energy rather than coins and notes?
Cheap Energy: The Fuel for the AI Boom
One key insight from Chris Wright, a veteran in the energy sector, is that AI’s exponential computing power requires exponential energy supply.
This makes cheap, clean, and scalable energy essential for AI to reach its potential. That could mean:
Major advances in nuclear fusion
A resurgence in next-gen fossil fuel alternatives
A breakthrough in battery storage and grid tech
Climate issues remain a parallel concern. Without a solution to sustainable energy, AI’s growth could be bottlenecked by physical and environmental limits
The AI Era: A Defining Chapter for Humanity
If the past 200 years have taught us anything, it’s this: technological disruption is not the end—it’s a beginning. The AI revolution will not just change how we work. It will change what work is, and who gets to do it.
The All-In Podcast team leaves us with a powerful takeaway: The future is not something we inherit—it’s something we build. And AI, like the railway and the internet before it, is our next great track to lay.
๐ Follow the discussion on the All-In Podcast with Scott Bessent, Howard Lutnick, Chris Wright, and Doug Burgum to hear more real-time insights into AI, economics, and the evolving world order.
Learn “socially acceptable” navigation – like avoiding walking between people mid-conversation!
More than just a mobility aid, it guides, describes surroundings, answers questions, and even helps users find a coffee shop and choose a seat and menu item.
Built in collaboration with Guide Dogs and the UTS Robotics Institute, this modular, evolving innovation is set to transform accessibility and independence for thousands.
An inspiring leap for inclusive AI – and proof that tech with heart changes lives.
In 2022 Nik Storonsky , the founder of Revolut launched QuantumLight, an AI-driven investment platform that replaces traditional investors with machine intelligence and not only scaled a $45B fintech company - he’s now raised $250m and is challenging the entire venture capital model.
No coffee meetings.
No partner pitches.
No “gut feel.”
Instead, the system ingests over 10 billion data points across 700,000+ venture-backed startups. It looks for correlations, anomalies, and signals that even the sharpest GPs might miss.
So far?
It’s working. Their AI-led investments are outperforming top-tier VCs by 2x.
We already rely on #AI in trading, underwriting, even diagnosing disease.
So why are we still backing startups with human bias, pattern recognition, and anecdotal conviction?
versus
a system that’s less emotional, more scalable, and possibly more accurate.
“Should we remove humans from the investment decisions entirely.”
Will QuantumLight replace humans or enable humans to make investment decisions
How important is human bias, pattern recognition, and anecdotal conviction?
Can AI truly understand the founder journey?
The vision, resilience, and timing that often live between the data points?
What happens to VC when the pitch deck matters less than the dataset?
A great post by Jacqui Bloom who’s just landed the ideal job ….. ๐ฅณ ๐ซ
And here is how!!!
๐ฅ 1. Stand Out with Follow-Up:
The role she secured had over 400 applicants. What made the difference? Jacqui sent a follow-up email a few days after submitting my application. According to her new employer, she was THE ONLY one to do so – and it was the reason they reached out to her.
Sometimes, a simple gesture can make a huge impact.
๐ฅ 2. Get Personal – Go Old School:
In a world of automation, going the extra mile can make you memorable. For one role, Jacqui hand-delivered my resume with a bold twist.
(Here’s the bold tagline for the hand-delivered CV: "I heard you're looking for a strategic unicorn who can wave their magic wand and make things happen! ๐ฆ✨ Well, guess what? You’ve just found one.")
That delivery, caught the recruiter's attention. It sparked an immediate phone call simply because she stood out. The recruiter LOVED it! Sometimes, a little creativity goes a long way.
China has adopted AI and Technology and in the last 12 years has transformed itself into a juggernaut with DeepSeek. Temu. TikTok - and many others China Tech Is Starting to Pull Ahead.
China is no longer a backwater - but the most technologically advanced nation in the world.
As Napoleon said ๐๐๐ฉ ๐พ๐๐๐ฃ๐ ๐จ๐ก๐๐๐ฅ, ๐๐ค๐ง ๐ฌ๐๐๐ฃ ๐จ๐๐ ๐๐ฌ๐๐ ๐๐จ, ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐ฌ๐ค๐ง๐ก๐ ๐ฌ๐๐ก๐ก ๐ฉ๐ง๐๐ข๐๐ก๐
Interesting post from Eric Schmidt - Former Chairman and CEO of Google
In 2023, I visited Beijing with Henry Kissinger on his final trip. A lot has changed on the ground since then. When Selina Xu from my team visited earlier this year, the signs of advancements in Chinese tech were everywhere, from #DeepSeek to drones delivering food to electric cars whizzing past on the streets.
More optimism was in the air too, despite the uncertainty of the trade war.
We wrote an essay, now live on The New York Times, about how America should reckon with China’s growing lead in technology, especially in AI.
Read it here: https://lnkd.in/e4N5BEQx
It’s not hard to imagine teens worldwide hooked on Chinese apps and AI companions, with autonomous Chinese-made agents organizing our lives, and businesses with services and products powered by Chinese models.
In a dozen years, China has gone from a ‘copycat nation’ to a juggernaut with world-class products that have at times leapfrogged those in the West. Along the way, the country also cultivated an abundance of STEM talent, robust supply chains, incredible manufacturing heft, and a domestic ecosystem so brutally competitive that the only way to survive is to never stop iterating.
This future is already arriving—unless America gets its act together - it may get left behind !!
#AI #China #tech #tariffs #
Some comments
Whoever can iterate and innovate will lead the trend
Maybe their political system has some merit?
Mobile Payments & Digital Wallets - WeChat Pay & Alipay launched in China in 2013 | Apple Pay & Google Pay 2016–2017—4 to 6 YEARS later.
2. QR Code Payments - China & Korea’s retail industry has used QR codes for payments since 2011 | WeChat Pay and Alipay universal in 2014 | U.S. stores didn’t widely accept QR payments until 2020
3. AI-Integrated Super Apps - WeChat, QQ, and Line became super apps in Asia by 2015 | U.S. trying X (Twitter)—but failing
4. Augmented Reality (AR) Shopping & Virtual Try-Ons - Alibaba launched AR-powered shopping in 2017 | Korea’s Lotte & China’s JD com in 2018 | Amazon and Walmart are JUST NOW testing AR shopping in 2024
5. AI-Powered Facial Recognition & ID Verification - China’s national facial recognition system in 2015. Singapore and Korea in 2017 | U.S. JUST STARTED testing in 2023
6. AI-Powered Digital Bank & FinTech Revolution 2017
7. Adaptive AI & Personalized Learning Platforms 2017
8. Fully Automated AI-Run Factories 2016
9. AI-Powered AR/VR Ecosystems 2018
Samuel Decio
they have passed us in many mainstream technological applications like payments for train and subway access and seamless Internet. They had a greater percent of hybrid/EV cars then and it's accelerating. It was nice to travel around with no litter, crime and a society that was peaceful and motivated.
And more.....
Bruce Guile
The challenge is not to “beat” China but to continue to benefit from their rise and investment — and make our own material contribution to US and global prosperity —without losing the freedoms, human rights, and unique can-do spirit that has buoyed America for the last 200+ years. America alone, or in competition for some elusive “first place,” IS a recipie for decline.
Francis Zhou
if one nation, more than 30% of people are learning to improve, then they will grow.
James Schauer
This notion that 'inexpensive Solar Panels, EVs and great AI' is somehow 'detrimental' is a bit upside down. The fact that people are 'making great stuff' is an opportunity for everyone ... if we can work it out; unfortunately we're inclined to view 'success' as 'threat' which is not good.
VGV VG Vignesh
Big ๐ Pin pointed lessons & prescriptions there not only for US but for India also Sir..
Eric Schmidt๐️๐
"COPY CAT NATION" is aptly put, given their track record in Reverse Engineering, IP Thefts, Source Code hijacks (๐คฃ), BBS Model (Beg, Borrow, Steal) and then beat all the competitors BRUTALLY ..
via
Economies of Scale & Scope initiating a Global Price War (BYD crushing TESLA being the latest !!)
Business is WAR in its purest sense.. ๐น๐น
In Love, War & Business only OUTCOMES matter and the end justifies the means even if it means hijacking the "Source Code" ๐๐
The key lessons and take aways for India from the above are
1. Cultivate & Create ABUNDANCE of STEM
talent..
2. Produce "World Class Products" not Fancy
Ice Creams & Cup Cakes ๐๐น..
3. Brutal & Robust Manufacturing Heft..
4. Huge FOREX Reserves a.k.a War Chest @
USD 3 Tn.. ++ to cushion any stunning
surprises that POTUS DJT ๐️ will keep
pumping !!
5. Big Bang Approach to Rural Development &
Tourism..
India really needs Economic TRANSFORMATION not Economic TINKERING !!
GoI + All States + 140 Crore People must all PULL in one direction.
India needs a benevolent DICTATOR akin to Lee Kuan Yew @ Singapore or atleast a two party democracy like the USA...
Lee Kuan Yew had explained this issue very well long ago..
An IDEA whose time will come..
๐๐ฎ๐ณ๐
Jack MA’s masterclass
Roger Morgan quotes Professor Andrew Fisher
When asked about the global future of science and technology, he noted that a fair valuation on the wealth of a nation was on the patents they file.
….At the start of the last century, it was Europe that was powerhouse, then massively overtaken by the USA, now it’s China who are moving ahead at an accelerating rate.
Interesting to see what happens globally next.
Eugene Tukerev
Emm, copycat nation?.. Here’s a list of Chinese inventions used worldwide:
•Papermaking
•Printing
•Compass
•Gunpowder
•Porcelain
•Paper money
•Silk production
•Tea cultivation
•Seismograph
•Matches
•Toothbrush
•Kites
•Abacus
•Alcoholic beverages
•Row crop farming
•Umbrella
•Acupuncture
•Wheelbarrow
•Suspension bridge
•Mechanical clock
Oh, and I had to use Perplexity to get that list.
Marenco Kemp
"scarcity brings clarity" - whenever one has to do more with less - innovation and growth thrive !
. Thanks to US sanctions, China has taken this to another level and will continue to do so.
Matthias Schuller
Will U.S. tariffs and export controls accelerste China's technological ascent.China's substantial investments in R&D, particularly in AI and semiconductors, coupled with its strategic shift towards self-reliance, are fostering a robust innovation ecosystem. The nation’s focus on indigenous innovation and diversification of trade partnerships signals long-term ambition, not short-term reaction.
It’s not a question of if Trading assets will be digitised and traded on the blockchain - it’s a question of when and who will be the dominant players
Jake Claver, QFOP | Managing Director - Digital Ascension Group wrote an excellent article on “How Tokenization of Real-World Assets Will Transform Our Economy” - below is a summary
What is Blockchain Tokenisation
Tokens don’t replace assets - they enable the value of those assets to be transferred to others in an efficient and effective way
Tokenisation is a new digital framework for handling real-world value. This isn’t about futuristic coins or NFTs—it's about turning everyday assets into something programmable and tradable, without needing an overhaul of how those assets are structured at their core.
The idea is simple but powerful: you take an existing financial asset—like a loan, a share of real estate, or a government bond—and create a digital version of it on a blockchain.
Once that happens, that asset becomes easier to move, quicker to settle, and more accessible to a broader range of investors. It's not a new kind of value—it’s a new way of moving what’s already there.
Each of the above have a fraction of assets on the blockchain - it’s only a matter of time that trading assets on the blockchain will become ubiquitous
Private Credit
$1.5 trillion globally,
$12 billion of that has been tokenized—less than 1%.
$1.2 billion traded daily
Running on EVM-compatible blockchains like Ethereum and Polygon, with some exploring Solana.
Projects like Maple Finance, Centrifuge, Arch Lending, and Goldfinch are offering on-chain lending backed by digital collateral.
US Treasuries: Safe, Stable, and Going Digital
$25 trillion in size, with $600 billion trading daily.
Around $4 billion worth of Treasuries have been tokenized so far
Ondo Finance is a standout in this space, offering tokenized Treasury products on EVM chains.
Franklin Templeton has gone a different route, opting to use Hyperledger.
Investors can instantly move into tokenized Treasuries, keeping yield and stability without leaving the ecosystem.
Tokenized Commodities: Gold, Oil, and Beyond
$37 trillion - The global commodities market
$1 billion worth of commodities has been tokenized so far, concentrated in tokenized gold.
Projects like PAX G on Ethereum and Cometec on XDC
Blockchains can handle complex contracts, like warehouse receipts, futures agreements, or physical delivery terms—features that go beyond simple spot trading.
Institutional Funds
$100 trillion of Hedge funds, mutual funds, and other managed portfolios
only a few billion dollars’ worth have been tokenized on Layer 2 Ethereum solutions, while Arca and Franklin Templeton are experimenting on Hyperledger.
Fractional ownership, more efficient reporting
Regulatory clarity is the sticking point, but as those rules get defined, this is being resolved
Real Estate - massive potential
$326 trillion, real estate is by far the largest asset class.
$3 billion of it has been tokenized so far.
there are title companies, escrow processes, banks, and regulatory frameworks that slow things down. Once sorted - will shorten transaction timelines and open up fractional investment to a broader audience.
Platforms like RealT, HoneyBricks, and Red Swan are showing what’s possible.
SPV-based models with structures where the token represents a share in a holding company that owns the asset, rather than the property itself.
Public Equities
$120 trillion - Global equity markets with daily trading volumes of about $500 billion.
$15 billion worth of equities have been tokenized in publicly visible ways.
Private chains like R3 Corda and projects like the DTCC’s Project Ion are building out the infrastructure for real-time settlement of stocks , eliminating the T+1 settlement delay reducing risks and operational costs.
Bonds
$140 trillion in outstanding issuance, they’re too big to ignore.
$15 billion worth has been tokenized
HSBC, UBS, and SDX are already using private blockchains like Corda and Hyperledger to create digital versions of these instruments.
Because these networks allow for privacy between institutions while still providing blockchain settlement features, they’re likely to dominate in this space—especially for large issuances that require complex terms and confidentiality.
Specialized Markets
Some niche but meaningful markets are also being transformed through tokenization:
Carbon Credits: Roughly 5% of the $2 billion market has already been tokenized. Platforms like Toucan Protocol and KlimaDAO are active here.
Intellectual Property: With a $500 billion market size, IP rights are being tokenized by players like IPWE (on Hyperledger and Casper) and BitSong (music royalties on Cosmos).
Luxury Vehicles: Only 0.08% of this $620 billion market has been tokenized, with early experiments from Curio Invest and CoinEarth.
Collectibles & Art: These markets have slightly higher penetration, with platforms like Masterworks and Courtyard pushing fine art and collectibles onto chains like Ethereum and Polygon.
Stablecoins, Money Markets, and Insurance Are Laying the Groundwork
Stablecoins: These now represent over $225 billion in circulation and are increasingly becoming the digital cash of blockchain networks.
Money Markets: Franklin Templeton, Circle, and Arch are building tokenized versions, but so far it’s only $1.5 billion—barely a start in a $6.5 trillion sector.
Insurance: Just $225 million tokenized so far in a market worth over $8 trillion, but the potential is enormous—especially for automating claims and accelerating payouts.
Derivatives
between $1 and $2 quadrillion in notional value.
$5 billion has been tokenized.
Tokenization could bring transparency to one of the most opaque corners of finance.
Platforms like Injective and Synthetix are making early moves, and private solutions like Corda may end up dominating here too.
Which Blockchains Stand to Benefit the Most?
Here’s how things are shaping up in terms of who’s best positioned:
XRP Ledger: Especially via its EVM sidechain and ties with Corda—great for settlement and institutional compatibility.
Polygon (MATIC): A strong generalist across most asset types, especially due to its developer ecosystem.
Stellar (XLM): Deep in Treasury tokenization, especially with Franklin Templeton’s work.
Algorand (ALGO): Potential dark horse in IP rights and commodities.
Avalanche (AVAX): Well-suited for private markets, especially with its subnet model.
Hedera (HBAR): Playing well in carbon credits, stablecoins, and institutional tools.
Provenance / Cosmos (HASH / ATOM):Focused on insurance and other permissioned-use cases.
The Big Picture
The shift to tokenized finance is happening. It’s not a question of if - but when and what platforms!
Patforms are solving real problems for big, old markets that have never moved quickly before.
If you're trying to figure out where this is all headed, start by watching where the institutions are already placing their bets.
