The Geopolitics of Artificial Intelligence
Between Irrelevance and Opportunity
The global geopolitical landscape is being redefined, and one of its most disruptive factors is artificial intelligence (AI). Yet, this transformation has not emerged overnight; it has been developing over decades at the cutting edge of technical knowledge. From his headquarters in Seseña, Luis Martín — known as "the Druid" for his extraordinary ability to solve complex problems — has been anticipating this future for over thirty years. Through Binomial Consulting & Design, his company specializing in the design and development of AI systems for security and defense, he delivers a clear warning: Europe must act now or face geopolitical irrelevance.
AI as a Strategic Driver
Luis Martín defines it precisely: artificial intelligence is no longer an emerging technology — it has become a strategic driver. Today, AI capabilities determine not only military or security superiority but also economic competitiveness, societal quality of life, and the international standing of nations.
The United States and China understood this early. Both countries lead in developing proprietary technologies, investing heavily in talent, infrastructure, and industrial capabilities. Europe, by contrast, continues to consume technology developed elsewhere. "We’re consuming the sodas others sell us," Martín sums up — highlighting an uncomfortable reality: Europe lacks technological sovereignty in AI.
Europe: Wasted Talent, Crushing Bureaucracy
The problem is not a shortage of talent. As Luis Martín emphasizes, Europe harbors as much — if not more — talent than the U.S. or China. The real issue lies in structural barriers: scarce funding, overwhelming bureaucracy in grant programs, and a lack of political will to prioritize innovation as a strategic necessity.
The result is a vicious cycle: Europe’s brightest AI minds migrate or are absorbed by large foreign corporations. "Every week, I get offers to move to the United States," Martín confesses. Meanwhile, Europe’s instinct has been to regulate before creating, stifling innovation even further.
AI and Security: A New Paradigm
In the domain he knows best — security and defense — Martín is categorical: nothing can be conceived today without AI. Command and control systems, military logistics, autonomous combat scenarios, and cyberspace as a new domain of conflict — all these are already being transformed by artificial intelligence applications.
The war in Ukraine has served as a visible catalyst for this new geopolitical reality, but its technological undercurrents are even more critical. As the Druid notes, AI exponentially amplifies both offensive and defensive capabilities, opening the door to low-intensity, selective conflicts targeting critical infrastructure or key individuals without needing to declare a traditional war.
Sustainable Alternatives: AI Beyond Massive Data Consumption
One of the most striking aspects of Martín’s vision is his critique of the dominant model based on massive data consumption. He advocates for a different kind of artificial intelligence: zero data AI, designed to be more energy-efficient and less reliant on gigantic data centers.
This alternative approach focuses on reasoning systems that require very little data, built instead on knowledge structures, rules, and wisdom models — inspired by how true human intelligence operates rather than simply statistical correlations from enormous datasets.
For Europe, with its energy dependency and limited control over major digital infrastructures, exploring these alternative AI models is not just an opportunity: it is a strategic imperative.
A Future at Stake
Luis Martín describes himself as a "reasonable pessimist." He recognizes the gravity of the situation: Europe risks becoming merely a market of consumers, irrelevant in shaping global policies. However, he also sees a narrow window of opportunity.
The key lies in Europe finally deciding its course: either becoming a fully integrated federal entity, capable of competing technologically with the great powers, or resigning itself to further fragmentation and inefficiency. The future demands clarity, determination, and speed.
Artificial intelligence is not a passing bubble. It is a structural technology that will redefine economics, education, defense, and even personal relationships. Those who do not participate in building it will simply not participate in the future.