Why Can't We Predict the Technological Future?

Is the destruction of the old truly an inevitable consequence of the birth of the new? Are our reservations about new technologies justified? How will artificial intelligence reshape economic competition among nations? Can the state play any active role in fostering innovation? Why has Europe fallen behind in the innovation race? And why does an invisible Iron Curtain still exist today, preventing Central and Eastern Europe from competing with new startups in the innovation game? What lessons can we learn from the successes of Silicon Valley, Estonia, Israel, or Singapore?

These questions continue to preoccupy economists, policymakers, and the general public alike because, as the experience of the past 250 years demonstrates, countries that have led in technological innovation have joined the ranks of the wealthy, while others have consistently remained trapped in the low- or middle-income brackets.

The author explores these topics thoroughly, examining the interconnections between free competition, the digital economy, technological progress, and innovation through vivid examples. The book delves into the complex dynamics of these elements and how they drive success in the competition among nations.