Human intelligence faces the challenge of cognitive autonomy or slipping into a “digital Neolithic.” The competition between the West and China for quantum supremacy forces countries to choose between symbiosis with digital technologies and degradation.
In the modern world, the struggle is not for oil or territories, but for intellectual and technological superiority. Leading world powers, such as China and Western countries, aim to take a dominant position in the field of quantum technologies. Against this backdrop, for many countries, especially in the Global South, the question of the future becomes one of choice: to embrace the “digital symbiosis” with new technologies or risk falling into a state of “digital Neolithic.” In countries with developing economies, these discussions are increasingly becoming part of the broader intellectual agenda, raising questions about dependence on technologies and maintaining human autonomy.
Experts believe that developing economies need to develop their own digital development strategies to avoid dependency on technological giants. The alternative lies in investing in their own scientific research and education so that the integration of digital technologies works for the benefit of society rather than harm. An important factor also remains the protection of human rights and data security, which is relevant in an era of blurred boundaries between humans and machines.
