Today, we are living through a pivotal transitional period in which the world is shifting from a unipolar system to a multipolar one, marked by intertwined interests and intensifying rivalries. What we are witnessing is not a world war in its traditional form. No major power blocs have declared general mobilization, yet the confrontation is real, and its most prominent weapons are economics and technology.
During the First and Second World Wars, economies supported armies through financing and armament. Today, however, the economy itself has become a weapon through which battles are fought, alongside technological advances that have reshaped the sources of power.
Airports, roads, hospitals, and banks are no longer merely conventional infrastructure. They are increasingly connected to digital systems that rely heavily on artificial intelligence. Competition over this technology is therefore competition over the management of economies, infrastructure, and weapons systems, and perhaps, in the future, over the ability to infiltrate and control them.
This is why the remarks made by Chinese President Xi Jinping during his meeting with US President Donald Trump regarding the need to manage competition in artificial intelligence are so important. They reflect an effort to contain a new weapon that is developing at remarkable speed. I would not be exaggerating if I called AI the new nuclear technology.
Hence the importance of managing this competition much as the United States and the Soviet Union sought to manage nuclear arms during the Cold War.
China has its own AI model, and the US has another. Europe, meanwhile, is striving to build technological independence that reduces its dependence on both. This ambition was articulated by French President Emmanuel Macron from the podium of the United Nations, where he warned against allowing the two powers to monopolize a technology that will help shape the future of the world.
Other countries will find themselves facing several options: align with one of these models, combine elements of both, or develop their own national capabilities, however limited, to safeguard their sovereignty.
Industrial and technological advances, coupled with the growing interconnectedness of economies, have transformed the nature of warfare. As proxy conflicts continue, some analysts fear that the world could slide into a broader war sparked by a miscalculation that spirals out of control.
I believe, however, that a new Cold War, characterized by technological rivalry and economic attrition, is more likely than a full-scale military confrontation.
When comparing China and the US, we should not ask only who is stronger today. We should also ask who is growing faster and who is better positioned to increase its strength in the future.
The US remains the dominant power at present. Yet China, in my view, is advancing at a faster pace in both economics and technology. Given what I see as structural weaknesses in Western economies and in capitalist and democratic systems whose shortcomings appear to widen over time, China seems well positioned to strengthen its standing further.
The rise and decline of nations do not occur overnight. They happen gradually, like the transition between night and day, an idea I draw from Ibn Khaldun’s Muqaddimah. This transformation may take years, but in my estimation, it is not a distant prospect.
Where Do We Stand?
At this point, I am reassured by a technological thread that suggests my country is moving with a smart compass, one that is attuned to the changes and disruptions of our era.
That confidence was strengthened by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s declaration that 2026 would be the Year of Artificial Intelligence. Such a declaration reflects a clear understanding of the role technology plays in building national power and managing the conflicts of the future.
Saudi Arabia derives its strength first from God Almighty, and then from an economy and wealth that provide a golden opportunity, one that must be seized without complacency. In this context, efforts to reduce waste, lessen dependence on the state, and encourage citizens to move from consumption to production are both timely and necessary.
In my view, these measures and financial reforms have enhanced our ability to withstand crises, including potential disruptions in oil supplies, while strengthening the resilience of the economy against volatility.
The combination of technological awareness, economic reform, and a productive citizenry gives us reason to be confident that the Kingdom will, God willing, overcome periods of uncertainty, secure a leading position among nations, and play an active role in shaping the emerging global order rather than merely reacting to it.
May God protect our nation and its leadership from all harm.
