Finance, Innovation, and the Transition to an AI-Driven Society

Abstract

This article explores the transition from the declining industrial model of the West to a new phase of development shaped by artificial intelligence, robotics, and advanced technological innovation. It argues that the financial expansion following the 2008-2010 crisis should not be read only as speculative excess, but also as part of a broader process through which markets supported the relocation of industrial capacity and the emergence of new post-industrial sectors. The analysis then connects financial dynamics with the rising costs of innovation, suggesting that stock market valuations may function as an additional source of equilibrium for enterprises engaged in research, digital transformation, and AI-based development. Beyond the economic dimension, the article considers the social implications of artificial intelligence and robotics, including their possible contribution to education, assistance for older people, public services, agriculture, and scientific research. At the same time, it stresses the need for human responsibility, ethical supervision, and institutional control, especially where autonomous systems may affect rights, safety, and social relations. The article concludes by asking whether the new technological horizon can help reduce the dominance of solvency and monetary hierarchy in collective life, opening instead a model of development more closely linked to social inclusion, environmental transition, and the quality of human existence.