The world's next billion users are redefining AI's future, and they're not where Silicon Valley expects them to be. Discover why digital sovereignty matters more than profit margins, and how 90% of the world's youth are driving unprecedented tech optimism from the Global South.What You'll LearnCore Insights:• How digital sovereignty empowers communities to control AI development on their own terms• Why the Global South shows explosive AI optimism while the West grows increasingly pessimistic• Real examples of marginalized communities using AI for social change and protest movements• The creator economy revolution driven by AI democratization and multilingual contentKey Topics Covered:• Digital infrastructure and the ethics of Big Tech's undersea cable investments• Balancing AI diversity with scalability - why inclusion drives better business outcomes• CARE principles (Collective benefit, Authenticity, Responsibility, Ethics) for ethical AI development• The romance economy: how AI enables intimate connections across cultural barriers• Behind-the-scenes work at Utrecht University's Inclusive AI Lab with partners like AdobeTimestamps• 00:00 - Digital sovereignty definition and importance• 01:46 - Global South optimism vs Western tech pessimism• 04:36 - AI enabling social change and protest movements• 09:24 - Digital sovereignty in practice: infrastructure and data control• 13:45 - Diversity vs scalability: breaking the false paradox• 16:00 - Inclusive AI Lab methods and Adobe collaboration• 19:50 - CARE principles for ethical AI development• 25:11 - The global romance economy and AI intimacyGuest ExpertDr. Payal Arora - Professor of Inclusive AI Cultures at Utrecht University, co-founder of Inclusive AI Lab, and "Next Billion Champion" by Forbes. Author of award-winning books "The Next Billion Users" and "From Pessimism to Promise," named one of 100 Brilliant Women in AI Ethics.Why This Matters NowWith AI investment reaching $33.9 billion globally and digital sovereignty becoming a national priority for countries worldwide, understanding inclusive AI development is critical. As 1.8 billion people now use AI tools but only 3% pay for premium services, the monetization gap represents massive opportunities for culturally responsive AI solutions.digitalsilk+3Subscribe for more conversations with ethical AI pioneers challenging who shapes technology's future.Connect with our guests:• Dr. Payal Arora on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/payalarora• Inclusive AI Lab: inclusiveailab.orginclusiveailab• Utrecht University Centre for Global Challengesuu#DigitalSovereignty #InclusiveAI #GlobalSouth #AIEthics #TechOptimism #NextBillionUsers #CreatorEconomy #DigitalDemocracy #AIForGood #TechInnovation #DigitalInclusion #AIGovernance #SociallyConsciousAISocially Conscious AI explores cutting-edge innovations transforming our world for the better, featuring conversations with brilliant minds leveraging AI's power to address humanity's most important challenges.