Technology supply chains have been twisted and torn in the new geopolitical era, and are now dependent on emerging national alliances. But are we all choosing the right friends?
Supply chains used to be boring. They appeared stable, resilient and self-managing. Not anymore. Today, they are central to a major geopolitical realignment. Part of it is driven by great power rivalry; part of it by technology, particularly AI.
However, these chains are proving resistant to change. Like the politics that surround them, they are fragmenting.
Until recently, there was little need for new diplomatic alliances and supply agreements around critical minerals, energy and, moving up the digital stack, access to advanced technology.
These chains reflected the apparent maturity of globalisation and the world’s organisation in highly integrated multinational blocs. Even where some areas needed controls – semiconductor manufacturing being one example – the have-lesses could extract enough economic benefit...