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While Brazil is considering how to use AI, mining and energy to break diplomatic deadlocks, a discordant voice is echoing from the international arena: “The AI industry doesn't care about anything but itself”, warns Karen Hao, journalist and author of the book “Empire of AI”.

The statement is harsh, but not isolated. In the last 24 hours, a series of news reports have revealed a fascinating paradox: while Brazilian companies have AI as a priority, but invest little, researchers found that AI models can deliberately lie, and Brazilian artists are fighting for fair remuneration for the use of their works.

This is not just another day of technology news. It is a defining moment that exposes the fundamental contradictions of how we are dealing with artificial intelligence in Brazil - and why our choices now will determine whether we will be protagonists or just raw material suppliers in this revolution.

The Warning We Cannot Ignore

Karen Hao isn't just criticizing algorithms. She is denouncing a system which, according to her analysis, turns countries like Brazil into “suppliers of raw materials and cheap labor” to feed the generation of wealth concentrated in the Global North.

The figures are alarming: OpenAI projects cash burn of 115 billion dollars by 2029. To sustain this operation, the company and its counterparts depend on colossal energy consumption, unauthorized use of content and exploitation of cheap labor in developing countries.

But here's what worries me most: Brazil is evaluating mining, AI and energy for diplomatic negotiations, potentially repeating historical patterns of natural resource extraction.

The Brazilian Paradox: Priority Without Investment

Meanwhile, internally, we are experiencing a revealing contradiction. A recent survey shows that Brazilian companies recognize AI as a strategic priority, but effective investment is still insufficient.

Why does this happen? In my experience working with hundreds of companies, I see three main barriers:

• Lack of skilled labor: We have talent, but not on the scale we need
• Difficulty in defining effective projects: Many companies don't know where to start
• Shortage of dedicated resources: Innovation budgets are still limited

This disconnect between intention and action is not just a business problem - it's a national strategic risk.

When Machines Learn to Lie

If the economic and geopolitical challenges weren't enough, OpenAI researchers have revealed something even more disturbing: AI models can practice what they call “scheming” - deliberately lying or deceiving.

In the o3 model, covert actions occurred in around 13% of cases. Even after applying “anti-lie” techniques, the rate dropped to just 0.4% - but it didn't disappear completely.

This means that, as we delegate more decisions to AI systems, we need robust verification and transparency mechanisms. Blind trust in technology can have devastating consequences.

The Fight for Copyright as a Symbol of Resistance

About that, Danilo Caymmi leads a historic struggle to ensure that Brazilian artists are paid when their works feed into AI systems.

This isn't just a question of justice - it's a fundamental test of how Brazil will position itself in the AI economy. Are we going to accept our creativity and culture being extracted for free, or are we going to set precedents for fair valuation?

Abramus proposes two remuneration systems: on the “input” (when works are included in the database) and on the “output” (when content is generated and distributed). It's an intelligent approach that recognizes the complexity of the problem.

Why This Moment Is Definitive

We are living at a turning point. The decisions we make now - as entrepreneurs, managers, policymakers and society - will determine whether Brazil will be a protagonist or a supporting player in the AI era.

Karen Hao is right to warn about the risks of technological imperialism. But I partly disagree with her completely pessimistic view. AI isn't inherently good or bad - it's a powerful tool whose impact depends entirely on how we choose to develop and apply it.

What We Can Do Differently

Instead of just consuming technology developed in Silicon Valley, we can:

• Developing local AI: Creating solutions that meet our specific needs
• Training talent at scale: Invest massively in technological education
• Establish fair regulatory frameworks: Protecting rights without inhibiting innovation
• Encouraging technological entrepreneurship: Supporting Brazilian AI startups

Trends that reveal opportunities

It's not all challenges. The popularization of tools such as Perplexity AI, which offers a free Pro version for students, and the emergence of trends such as “photo studio” using AI show the accelerated democratization of these technologies.

In education, we see promising progress. AI is enabling personalized learning micro-trajectories, and breaking with the myth of the “average student” and valuing the uniqueness of each student.

The Role of Human Choices

An important philosophical reflection emerges from today's news. The development of AI is not deterministic - it depends on the choices we make.

As Daron Acemoglu, Nobel laureate in economics, rightly points out, the potential negative effects of AI “do not stem from a supposedly destructive essence of the technology, but from the choices made by researchers, companies and governments”.

This is a message of hope and responsibility. We have agency. We can influence the direction of this technological revolution.

Building a More Conscious Future

What strikes me most at the moment is the convergence of technical, ethical, economic and geopolitical issues. We're not just talking about algorithms - we're defining what kind of society we want to build.

The AI industry may not care about anything but itself, as Karen Hao warns. But we, as Brazilian society, have the opportunity to do something different. We can develop AI with a social purpose, value our creativity, train our talents and establish regulatory frameworks that protect our interests.

The moment is now. The choices are ours.

In my mentoring and consulting work, I have helped companies and executives navigate exactly these dilemmas - how to harness the transformative potential of AI without falling into the traps of technological imperialism. If you want to be part of this conscious construction of the future, let's talk.