The rulers: corporate power in the age of AI and the cloud | LSE III Event

The rulers: corporate power in the age of AI and the cloud | LSE III Event

Title history
  • The rulers: corporate power in the age of AI and the cloud | LSE III Event — observed on 20261103-1351 UTC (YouTube)

by Cecilia Rikap · View the channel on PSI

Humanities, Social Sciences & Thought Economics & Finance KCEconomicsKCPPolitical economy
🎙 Cecilia Rikap 👥 631 📅 November 3, 2026 ⏱ 62 min 👁 1 📄 expert opinion 🧭 2026-11-03
Available in: English (current) Français

Keywords

corporate powerAIcloudintellectual monopolyglobal value chains

Summary

This LSE seminar presents Dr Cecilia Rikap’s empirically grounded theory of how a handful of megacorporations—primarily Amazon, Microsoft, and Google—control global capitalism through AI and cloud infrastructure. She traces the historical evolution of corporate power from vertically integrated firms to global value chains, introducing the concept of ‘intellectual monopolies’ that systematically capture intangibles and co-created knowledge. Using network analysis of AI conference publications and corporate venture capital data, she demonstrates how these firms occupy central positions in knowledge production, steering research agendas and appropriating results. She highlights a shift from in-house R&D to outsourcing the production of knowledge via startups and academic collaborations, reinforced by non-disclosure agreements and part-time academic appointments. She reconceptualizes innovation as a power relation enabling value capture, and introduces the idea of ‘corporate systems’ to replace misleading national innovation systems. The unique space of the cloud is identified as the ‘supermarket’ of digital technologies, where control extends beyond ownership. The talk concludes with implications for inequality, knowledge asymmetries, and decision-making power, and mentions ongoing work on a UN report on AI and inequality.

177 words

Critical Evaluation

Value of the Information & Strength of the Argument

The presentation offers significant value by empirically substantiating abstract concepts like corporate power and intellectual monopolies with concrete network maps and interview evidence. The argumentation is logically structured, moving from historical context to contemporary mechanisms of control, and critically engages with mainstream innovation theory. The speaker effectively challenges the notion that AI research is open and democratic by showing the concentration of co-authorship and ownership patterns. The inclusion of direct quotes and anecdotes from interviews strengthens the credibility of the claims. The argumentation is persuasive but could benefit from more discussion of counterexamples or limitations; nevertheless, it is solid and well-supported.

Scientific Rigor, Source Quality, Title Accuracy

The scientific rigor is high: the speaker draws on her own research, including a book and academic papers, and explicitly references interviews with 112 professionals across 55 multinational corporations. She also mentions an ongoing UN report, demonstrating engagement with policy-relevant evidence. The title accurately reflects the seminar’s focus on corporate power in the age of AI and the cloud. The presentation is well-organized and the content matches the promise of the abstract. While no external sources are cited in the video description, the speaker’s own published work serves as a solid foundation. The talk does not claim to cover exhaustive details but condenses key findings, appropriately acknowledging the need for further discussion.

228 words

Title / Content Match

The title accurately reflects the content: it discusses corporate power exercised through AI and cloud infrastructure.

Quality & Reliability

9/10

Rigorous empirical research based on 112 interviews, network analysis, and academic publications. The speaker is an established economist and presents a well-argued theory with supporting data and examples.

Key Moments

Markers derived by PSI from the transcript: the creator did not define chapters.

Cited Sources

  • The Rulers: Corporate Power in the Age of AI and the Cloud — Book by Cecilia Rikap presenting the core arguments of this seminar.
  • Peter Thiel's ideas on monopoly — Referenced when discussing what makes a company a leader and how IP monopolies function.
  • UN report on AI and inequality (in progress) — Mentioned as ongoing research updating data on AI knowledge concentration.

Contribution & Novelties

The talk provides a novel theoretical framework integrating intellectual monopolies, global value chains, and cloud infrastructure to explain contemporary corporate power. It empirically demonstrates how a few firms control AI research and innovation through co-authorship networks and startup investments, emphasizing ‘control beyond ownership’ as a key mechanism. The concept of ‘corporate systems’ replaces national innovation systems, highlighting power relations and asymmetric learning. The cloud is positioned as a unique economic space that enables the monetization and control of all digital technologies. This perspective offers a critical contribution to political economy and science and technology studies.

Pour aller plus loin :

  • Global value chain — Related to the historical evolution of corporate control and their role in structuring production networks.
  • Cloud computing — The technological infrastructure enabling the concentration of digital services and data, central to the argument.
  • Corporate power — Examines the broader societal and political influence of corporations, complementing the book’s analysis.

153 words

Radar Profile

The profile shows a uniformly high-quality seminar: quantity and quality of information are both strong, and technical depth is appropriate for an academic audience. Reliability is high, supported by empirical evidence and the speaker's expertise. The balanced scores reflect the lecture's rigor and impact.

Reliability 9/10