Contrary to the post-COVID trend of tech decentralization, the intense talent and capital requirements of AI have caused a rapid re-centralization. Silicon Valley has 'snapped back' into a hyper-concentrated hub, with nearly all significant Western AI companies originating within a small geographic radius.

The biggest downside of remote work isn't lost productivity, but the elimination of serendipity. It removes the chance encounters that lead to friendships, mentorship, and cross-pollination of ideas. For those needing to build a network, the convenience of working from home comes at the high cost of isolation and stunted growth.

As the U.S. tightens immigration for skilled workers, innovation may shift to countries with more welcoming policies. This macroeconomic trend presents a personal finance strategy: diversifying portfolios with international ETFs to capture growth in emerging tech hubs and hedge against a potential decline in U.S. competitiveness.

Stripe data shows the median top AI company operates in 55 countries by its first year, double the rate of SaaS companies from three years prior. This borderless nature from day one requires financial infrastructure that can immediately support global payment methods and compliance.

Twenty years ago, globalization and open markets (geopolitical tailwinds) created new opportunities for businesses. Today, rising nationalism, trade barriers, and security concerns act as headwinds, creating obstacles and increasing the complexity of international operations.

Companies that for years claimed remote work or flexible schedules were unreasonable for disabled employees instantly implemented those exact policies for everyone during the pandemic. This exposed that the barriers were never about feasibility but about corporate willingness and systemic ableism.

A powerful mental model for the future of work is a three-step pipeline. If a job can be done remotely in a high-cost country, it can be offshored to a low-cost one. Once offshored and process-driven, it becomes a prime target for AI automation. This positions remote work as a transitional phase, not an endpoint.

Contrary to the remote-first trend, Crisp.ai's founder advises against a fully distributed model for initial product development. He argues for gathering the core team in one physical location to harness the energy and efficiency of in-person collaboration. Distributed teams are better suited for iterating on an already established product.

Frame AI not as a tool, but as a wave of "digital immigrants" with superhuman cognitive abilities. Similar to how the NAFTA trade agreement outsourced manufacturing, AI will outsource knowledge work. This will create abundance for some but risks hollowing out the middle class and social fabric.