In a recent interview with Prima News, Flaviu Turcu emphasized that the world is undergoing a fundamental shift, where those who control technology also control the economy and may ultimately achieve global dominance.

“Warfare is primarily technological. Whoever holds technological supremacy also gains economic supremacy and, beyond that, can achieve global dominance. Unfortunately, when it comes to research, science, and technology, we have always lagged behind, at least for the past 35 years,” Turcu stated.

This reality is reflected not only in the power of nations but also in the influence of giant corporations that dominate emerging industries such as artificial intelligence, space exploration, and vehicle autonomy. NATO, for example, has identified seven critical technological domains, all of which fall within the expertise of industry leaders like Elon Musk.

“The real battle is not just for traditional resources but for critical resources, such as rare earth elements, which are essential for developing future technologies. At this moment, identifying the exact direction of technological progress is a major challenge, but whoever succeeds first will gain a massive advantage,” the researcher explains.

Despite the world rapidly moving towards a new technological wave, Romania remains at the bottom of the European Union in terms of investments in research and development. Both the public and private sectors have allocated insufficient funds to this strategic field, causing the country to miss out on essential opportunities in the global race for innovation.

“We need to bridge this gap and establish a starting point in this direction. Unfortunately, we are not in pole position. If we don’t change our approach quickly, we will end up merely consuming technology developed by others instead of creating innovative solutions,” warns Turcu.

The lack of a coherent vision and clear policies to support innovation prevents Romania from keeping up with countries that are heavily investing in emerging technologies. Although there are talented researchers and entrepreneurs, the funding and support ecosystem remains fragile, and the lack of infrastructure hinders the development of major projects.

In a world where artificial intelligence, automation, and space exploration are becoming pillars of progress, Romania risks being left behind if it does not prioritize investments in this field.

“It is crucial to understand that we need a clear strategy and significant investments in our own technology. Without these measures, we will become mere consumers of technology produced by major economic powers,” says Flaviu Turcu.

While developed countries focus their efforts on innovation and safeguarding their technological advantage, Romania must take urgent action to regain lost ground. If it remains just a spectator in a world where supremacy is dictated by science and technology, its economic and geopolitical future could be seriously compromised.