Tech Won't Save Us Why Countries Must Fight For Digital Sovereignty w/ Cecilia Rikap
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Aug 21, 2025 Cecilia Rikap, an Associate Professor in Economics at University College London, dives into the urgent need for countries to reclaim digital sovereignty from US tech giants. She discusses how this dependency leads to economic disparity and digital colonialism, calling for policies prioritizing public interests. The conversation highlights the challenges posed by generative AI and critiques current tech policies that sacrifice regulatory independence for growth. Rikap advocates for local control over technology and shares international efforts aimed at achieving true digital sovereignty.
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UK Sacrificed Oversight For Tech Deals
- The UK under Starmer replicated prior Tory tech policy by prioritizing growth and aligning closely with US big tech.
- Cecilia Rikap argues this weakens watchdogs and hands strategic influence to companies like Microsoft and Amazon.
Twin Extractivism: Data And Knowledge Capture
- Rikap names 'twin extractivism': data and knowledge are being appropriated by a few global firms.
- Publicly funded research and data end up captured, steering global research agendas toward firm priorities.
Generative AI Turns Use Into Corporate Advantage
- Generative AI improves with use, so user interactions become captive inputs that enrich corporate models.
- This makes digital commons productive yet privately captured, concentrating future advantage in few firms.