The New Divide: Power, Control & the Cost of AI - Jibu Elias

Unpack the uncomfortable truths behind the double-edged sword of Artificial Intelligence with this vital call to action, offering a critical Global South perspective on data monopoly, ethical governance, and the future of human agency.

In The New Divide: Power, Control & the Cost of AI, researcher, writer, and global AI governance advisor Jibu Elias peels back the glossy, dazzled surface of modern technology. Behind each miracle of artificial intelligence lies a calculated performance that persuades us to see true thought where there is only mathematical pattern, and genuine care where there is only raw computer code. Drawing on nearly a decade of direct experience across the Indian and international AI policy landscapes, Elias points squarely at the widening gaps between the grand promises of Silicon Valley optimism and our stark reality.

This groundbreaking book tackles the urgent questions that are redefining how people think, work, and create. Elias masterfully exposes systems driven more by predictive modeling than genuine intelligence—revealing an accelerating world where algorithms silently redesign global economies, redraw critical social boundaries, and deeply challenge human autonomy. From mass job displacements and deeply embedded algorithmic biases to the rapid consolidation of unprecedented power by global tech monopolies and the devastating environmental costs of unregulated innovation, The New Divide highlights the severe challenges looming over the horizon.

Moving beyond standard tech-bro optimism, this book serves as an indispensable roadmap from a Global South viewpoint. It highlights the incredibly small window of action open to humanity as AI usage accelerates out of control. Proving that ethical governance, swift policy regulations, and global guidelines are imperative now, Elias delivers an urgent battle cry: as AI aggressively reshapes what it means to be human, we must collectively step up and reclaim control before it is too late. An essential read for tech professionals, policymakers, economists, and anyone worried about the digital future.