Every so often, a major innovation creates a decisive turning point. In times like these, the world changes rapidly. Often, companies or countries focused on established technologies—the very ones that brought them extraordinary success in the first place—are left behind (in áit na leathphingine), while others are willing to embrace the new technology and push it forward aggressively. The consequences can be profound, reshaping markets, power structures, and even the world order.

This dynamic is discussed in Clayton Christensen’s landmark book, The Innovator’s Dilemma. Christensen showed that leaders fail not because of bad management, but due to a lack of strategic decision-making. They continue to invest in technologies that serve their existing customers and revenue streams, while casting aside new technologies as weak, dangerous, or unprofitable.

Initially, that assessment is often correct. New technologies are immature, expensive, and weaker than established ones. But over time, the balance shifts. The new technology improves rapidly, and the legacy technology reaches its physical limits. The profitability of the legacy system decreases just as the capability of the new technology increases. By the time established leaders realize what is happening, the gap is too large to fill. They are left with no choice but to be followers or, worse, to be rendered obsolete.

Identifying such a turn in advance is extremely difficult, however. Sometimes, the perceived disruptions are false alarms. A famous example is Betamax versus VHS in video recording. Betamax was widely considered technologically superior to VHS. Consequently, many analysts thought Betamax would win the battle. Instead, VHS gathered strength because that technology was cheaper, more flexible, and had stronger support from the industrial sector. Those who followed the seductive call of Betamax were wiped out.

Today, we are seeing major turning points in the fields of energy and artificial intelligence (AI), and in the combination of the two. For a long time, the United States of America (USA) held (and still holds) a dominant position in fossil fuels. The USA is currently the largest oil producer in the world, with massive reserves and an extensive economic ecosystem based on hydrocarbons. This position shaped the world order, from foreign policies to domestic infrastructure.

But that era is drawing to a close. The world's energy system is turning toward renewable energy rapidly. Solar energy is now cheaper than oil-generated power. It is cheaper to drive electric vehicles than petrol vehicles. But China is the primary driver of these changes. China has made massive investments in energy manufacturing, battery technology, and electric vehicles. It does not see these industries merely as commercial opportunities, but as strategic priorities.

The results are clear. Chinese companies now lead in solar panel production worldwide. They are ahead in battery manufacturing. And in the field of electric vehicles, China’s BYD has overtaken Tesla in terms of global market share. Instead of competing directly, the USA has adopted protectionist policies—for example, with high tariffs on Chinese vehicles. This might protect domestic manufacturers in the short term, but history shows that this is a poor long-term strategy.

The U.S. approach is even worse because fossil fuels are a central cause of climate change. Politics does not change physics. Although the debate continues, we can all see the climate change that is underway. Meanwhile, China continues to export renewable technologies and solidify its role as the primary provider of the energy systems of the future.

The danger for the USA is marginalization. As global adoption of renewable energy accelerates, countries will rely more on Chinese supply chains, standards, and expertise. If the USA delays too long, it will have to adopt these technologies from a place of weakness. In that case, not even Silicon Valley—the innovation engine of America and the world for so long—can be sure it will survive.

Recent events have shown that Chinese power is increasing rapidly. China's threat to restrict rare earth minerals, combined with its total dominance in clean energy research and development, forced the USA to retreat from its plans to impose 60% punitive tariffs on China. This strategic countermeasure demonstrated that Beijing’s control over intellectual property and the supply chains of the future was a more powerful weapon than Washington’s traditional economic sanctions.

A similar competition is taking place in the field of artificial intelligence. Here, the USA is still ahead in foundational models and software. But China is advancing rapidly. The combination of artificial intelligence and energy could also be decisive. Consider mobile AI systems like humanoid robots. They rely not only on software, but on hardware, manufacturing, and power systems as well (solar energy, batteries, etc.). China’s strength in these areas gives it a structural advantage. Reports that humanoid robots are already being used to patrol cities like Shenzhen show that this technology will have a major impact not only on commercial affairs, but on security and military affairs as well.

It is highly likely that we are on the edge of a new era. It is clear that the USA is heading in the wrong direction. The country’s regime threatens its allies in Canada and Europe and imposes tariffs on them at the same time as being very friendly with Putin's regime in Russia. A major political divide has also opened in the country, where democracy is under pressure from authoritarianism.

Because of these significant changes, Europe and Canada are strengthening their ties with China, India, and South America. This will change global trade and influence for decades to come, and the USA will be the worst affected. The danger is also that, without the leadership of the USA as the champion of democracy, the world order will slip toward authoritarian dominance. History shows that it is a long and violent path, full of oppression, instability, and a terrible human cost. A world shaped by authoritarian power is not a safe or predictable world.

We are late in the game, but it is never truly too late. The USA must rebuild alliances, make serious investments in the technology of the future, and restore trust in itself at home and abroad. We barely survived the nuclear age—through restraint, cooperation, and imperfect institutions. Artificial intelligence could be even more dangerous, especially in the hands of dictators who care only for their own benefit.

The turning point is near us now. How the people of the USA meet this challenge—that is the vital question for us all.

What is unfolding in Minneapolis is no longer only about illegal immigration. It is a stress test of American democracy, with consequences that reach far beyond a single city, a single state, or even a single country.

Two American citizens were killed following encounters with federal agents during protests that witnesses and video recordings show to have been peaceful. Neither had a criminal record. In both cases, senior federal officials applied the label “domestic terrorists” almost immediately, before any independent investigation had taken place and without presenting evidence to the public. In both cases as well, mobile phone footage tells a story that differs fundamentally from the official version.

As seen recently in the pressure exerted by the United States on Denmark over Greenland, American political stability is not a purely domestic matter. When democratic norms are weakened in Washington, the effects are felt near and far. Countries depend on the international system functioning properly and on major powers meeting their obligations. For countries such as Ireland, whose economic and security interests are closely tied to American stability, this erosion represents a practical and real risk.

Peaceful Protests

The streets of Minneapolis saw peaceful protests. The crowd chanted slogans. They criticised agents of the United States Border Patrol (CBP) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). They recorded events on their phones. These are all lawful activities protected under the First Amendment of the US Constitution.

Despite this, the video footage clearly shows federal agents responding with force. Pepper spray and tear gas were used. Batons were used. People were pushed to the ground, restrained with plastic ties, and taken into custody against their will, even though there was no evidence of physical attacks by the crowd.

The Killing of Alex Pretti

Federal officials initially claimed that Alex Pretti attacked federal agents while armed with a gun. The video evidence does not support this claim in any way.

Pretti was legally carrying a concealed firearm and had the required permits. He did not draw the weapon.

Pretti saw a woman in distress after an agent pushed her to the ground and sprayed her with pepper spray. He attempted to help her. Pretti himself was sprayed, forced to the ground by six or seven agents, struck by one agent, and had his firearm taken by another. Then, while lying defenceless on the ground, one agent fired shots at him, followed by another agent. He was hit ten times and died.

After the shooting, the scene was not secured in accordance with standard investigative procedures. The agents left without preserving the site or securing evidence.

Pretti was participating in a peaceful protest, activity protected under the First Amendment. He was lawfully armed under state law and under what he reasonably understood to be lawful under the Second Amendment. On that basis, the video footage raises serious questions about the necessity and proportionality of the lethal force used.

The Killing of Nicole Good

The death of Nicole Good followed a similar pattern. She was killed after agents attempted to remove her from her car as she tried to leave. Without any independent investigation, it was officially stated that she was a terrorist, before the facts were publicly examined.

Once again, video footage and eyewitness accounts reveal a clear gap between official statements and what is visible. As in Pretti’s case, federal authorities refused to allow an independent investigation by state agencies or the FBI, asserting that an internal review alone would suffice. As is widely understood, accountability cannot exist when those who use force investigate themselves.

Smartphones

Smartphones have now become one of the most important democratic tools of the modern era. They expose contradictions between official statements and what can be seen in video recordings. They allow the public to witness events for themselves and reach their own conclusions, without relying solely on official accounts.

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz has urged people to carry their phones at all times and to record interactions with federal agents. This is a lawful act. Such recordings create a permanent record that can later be examined by courts, legislators, journalists, and the public.

Authority Without Accountability

In both deaths, federal authorities refused to permit independent investigations. At the same time, Governor Walz and the Mayor of Minneapolis are under investigation after declining to cooperate with CBP and ICE, arguing that state authority and civil rights were being violated.

If these practices continue without challenge, they are likely to expand. Other cities could be affected. Federal agents could be deployed during election periods, placing pressure on voters under the pretext of security. The erosion of civil liberties rarely remains confined to one location.

Authoritarian regimes in Germany, the Soviet Union, and China did not begin with mass killings. They began by portraying dissenters as enemies and demanding obedience in the name of order.

Response

The American public is not powerless. Peaceful protests can be organised. Votes can be cast in elections. Phones can record events. Pressure can be applied to elected representatives, and accountability demanded.

The international community also has a role. Recent US attempts at geopolitical coercion, including pressure related to Greenland, showed that coordinated resistance can work. Unified responses from the European Union and Canada demonstrated what democratic solidarity looks like, without resorting to threats or escalation.

It is now clear that the international system is changing. In light of these developments, it is reasonable for smaller countries to reassess their dependencies and future strategies, while keeping a close watch on the defence of democratic norms.