Artificial intelligence and blockchain technologies are fundamentally reshaping the global economy, driving a shift from traditional debt-based systems to a new era defined by energy, information, and speed. That’s the core thesis of this DLD Future Hub conversation between Isabell Welpe (TU Munich) and investor Alex von Frankenberg, moderated by Anna von Schilcher.
Alex von Frankenberg highlights how AI is building on Moore’s Law, giving technology another rocket boost. “AI will accelerate innovation and productivity”, he predicts. “The pace of innovation was never as fast as today. It will never be that slow. It will continuously accelerate.”
Isabell Welpe agrees that “AI is special.” There are “probably hundreds of studies showing productivity increases with double digits.” This contrasts with previous technologies like web3 or the Metaverse which haven’t resulted in similar benefits to the economy.
The current financial system is struggling to keep pace with these developments, Alex von Frankberg argues. “It’s 40, 50, 60 year-old mainframe, Cobalt programs”, restricting stock trading in Germany to specific times of the week, he says. Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies, in contrast, enable “around the clock payment”.
Isabell Welpe notes that “it would be faster to actually take out cash, put it in a FedEx box and FedEx it overnight to China than it would be to use the existing legacy banking system.”
Watch the video for details and find out why this transformation of the digitial economy through AI and blockchain requires forward-thinking leadership by companies, central banks, and politicians.
