AI: The New Global Power Race – Nations Vie for Dominance, Not Just Companies

• Artificial Intelligence (AI) has evolved from a corporate technology race into a geopolitical contest between nations, akin to past struggles for oil or minerals.
• Hemant Mohapatra of Lightspeed Venture Partners highlights that control over the AI supply chain will determine future global leadership, with AI now treated as a national resource.
• The global AI ecosystem is fragmenting, particularly at the hardware and chip-making levels, leading to major regions like Europe, China, and the US building independent AI "islands."
• India is actively pursuing AI sovereignty by focusing on data control, investing in domestic foundation models (like Sarvam), and developing semiconductor manufacturing and packaging capabilities.
• The future of AI leadership will belong to nations that control the AI supply chain, protect their data, build domestic models, and secure chip ecosystems, making it a matter of national sovereignty.