We're witnessing the most rapid technology adoption in human history as AI fundamentally reshapes how we work and compete globally. This conversation explores the fascinating paradox driving explosive growth: while training AI models costs billions, using them has become nearly free, democratizing access and sparking innovation across industries. We examine the intensifying US-China geopolitical competition, AI's expansion into physical systems like autonomous vehicles, and how this represents a civilizational shift where AI fluency becomes the defining skill separating winners from losers.