Is AI the New Colonialism? The Global South Fights Back ft. Sudhir Tiku

Is AI the New Colonialism? The Global South Fights Back ft. Sudhir Tiku

75% of the world's population lives in the Global South. Yet, they're locked into the lowest tiers of the AI economy: data labeling, ghost work, and passive consumption. We sit down with Sudhir Tiku, author of "AI in the Global South: Power, Progress, and Policy," to unpack what it actually takes for developing nations to stop being spectators and start shaping their own technological futures. From data colonisation and frugal innovation to ghost workers and the Right to Imagine — this episode asks who AI is really being built for, and what needs to change. 🎙️ Guest: Sudhir Tiku * Author — AI in the Global South: Power, Progress, and Policy (World Scientific, Available on Amazon) * Founding Member, Alliance for AI and Humanity (Singapore) * Member, International Association for Safe and Ethical AI (USA) * Founder, MyFund Charity (free education for 10,000 girls) ⏱️ Chapters * 0:00 Hook * 2:33 Intro * 2:41 Introductions * 5:05 The Inspiration * 7:18 What is Global South? * 10:11 Biggest Misconceptions * 13:11 Productive Inclusion * 15:29 Technological Agency * 17:54 Policy & Governance * 21:06 Real-World Impact * 26:26 Ethics & Philosophy * 30:50 Risks of Exclusion * 34:58 Why It Still Matters * 37:09 Key Takeaways * 42:19 Outro ✨Follow us on our socials!- Website: https://ragtechdev.com/- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ragtechdev/- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@ragTechDev - More Links: https://linktr.ee/ragtechdev

Are AI Companions a Threat to Intimacy? We Ask this Artist who Created An AI Boyfriend ft. Inch Chua

What if you could code your perfect soulmate?Artist and singer-songwriter @thisisinch joins us to discuss her upcoming musical "Myles: Soulmate in a Box" — a story about building an AI companion when dating apps just aren't cutting it anymore.Inch takes us behind the scenes of her decade-long journey from learning Python during COVID to creating a deeply personal exploration of artificial intimacy. We dive into what she discovered about herself in the process, why the "perfect" partner might not be what you actually want, and how dating apps are designed to keep you swiping instead of finding connection.We also get into the uncomfortable questions: How is AI-generated content reshaping our expectations of intimacy? Can circuits truly understand love? And why does tech's masculine energy need more balance?Watch  @Thisisinch  [https://studio.youtube.com/channel/UCRK8WEau91IEjnYZ0qXO0Ig] 's musical 🎭 Myles: Soulmate in a Box May 13–31 at KC Arts Centre (every day except Mondays) Get tickets and use your SG Culture Passes on https://www.srt.com.sg/show/myles/ [https://www.srt.com.sg/show/myles/]! ragTech Hosts: - Natasha Ann, Software Engineer- Victoria Lo, Solutions EngineerCHAPTERS:0:00 Hook2:05 Intro2:14 Introductions2:54 What was Inch's process in creating a musical on AI and intimacy?5:48 Self-discovery: building your perfect soulmate reveals who you are8:32 About Myles: The Perfect Soulmate10:04 Dating apps: designed to keep you swiping, not find love12:56 AI companionship: helpful bridge or relationship replacement?16:28 How AI is reshaping our expectations of intimacy20:04 Physical intimacy and AI-generated content27:28 Is tech too masculine? The case for balance34:10 Outro✨Follow us on our socials!- Website: https://ragtechdev.com/ [https://ragtechdev.com/]- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ragtechdev/ [https://www.instagram.com/ragtechdev/]- Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1KfM9JTWsDQ5QoMYEh489d [https://open.spotify.com/show/1KfM9JTWsDQ5QoMYEh489d]- More Links: https://linktr.ee/ragtechdev [https://linktr.ee/ragtechdev]

Does AI-Generated Music Have a Soul? We Asked a REAL Artist ft. Inch Chua

What is art in the age of AI? In this episode of ragTech, we're joined by Inch Chua   [https://studio.youtube.com/channel/UCRK8WEau91IEjnYZ0qXO0Ig]—singer-songwriter, composer-producer, (and MasterChef finalist) —to explore whether AI-generated music has a soul, if software engineers can be artists, and why human judgment will always matter. We dive deep into the ethics of generative AI, the lack of IP guardrails in the "AI race," and why AI is statistically the definition of mediocrity. Inch also shares insights from her upcoming musical "Myles: Soulmate in a Box," which explores AI and artificial intimacy. Book tickets to "Myles: Soulmate in a Box" showing from 13 - 31 May 2026 at https://www.srt.com.sg/show/myles/! Singaporeans, be sure to use your SG Culture Pass! 🎙️ Hosts: Natasha Lum — Software Engineer Victoria — Solutions Engineer 🎤 Guest: Inch Chua — Singer-songwriter, Composer-producer, Artist KEY TOPICS: - The purpose of art: reflecting society as it is - Why AI is "statistically mediocrity" - Can software engineers be artists? (Spoiler: yes) - AI-generated music vs. human-created art - IP, ethics, and guardrails in the AI race - Vocaloids, Turing tests, and "interjected imperfection" - CloudFlare's lava lamps and true randomness Deep fakes and the future of trust 🔗 CONNECT: Inch's Website: https://www.thisisinch.com/ Inch's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisisinch/ Inch's Youtube:  @ThisIsInch Myles (musical) 13 - 31 May 2026: https://www.srt.com.sg/show/myles/ ✨Follow ragTech on our socials! - Website: https://ragtechdev.com/ - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ragtechdev/ - Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1KfM9JTWsDQ5QoMYEh489d - More Links: https://linktr.ee/ragtechdev 🎧 Subscribe for more conversations at the intersection of tech, creativity, and humanity.#AI #GenerativeAI #AIMusic #ArtificialIntelligence #MusicIndustry #Creativity #TechPodcast #RagTech #InchChua #AIEthics

Is your favorite AI app just a wrapper?

Most AI companies don't actually own their AI. They're calling someone else's model and slapping a UI on top, and that has serious implications for you as a user AND as a founder.In this episode, Saloni, Natasha and Victoria (3 techies) break down:- What AI wrappers actually are (and why you probably use one daily)- How these companies compete on prompts, not technology- The real risks: pricing dependency, zero transparency, and an easily stolen business model- A real story of a company that secretly harvested user data to build their own model- Whether you're building an AI startup, investing in one, or just using AI tools every day, you need to hear this.

Why Hiring a CTO Is Harder Than You Think

Everyone says “just hire a CTO.”In reality, that advice hides one of the hardest hiring problems in startups.In this episode, we talk about why finding a good CTO is so difficult, not because there aren’t enough engineers, but because the CTO market is a red ocean. Too many mismatched expectations, unclear roles, and founders hiring for titles instead of outcomes.We break downwhat founders usually get wrong when hiring a CTOwhy great CTOs are rare and often invisiblethe difference between a senior engineer and an actual CTOand how this single hire can quietly make or break a startupIf you’re a founder, early employee, or tech leader thinking about the CTO role, this episode will help you see the problem more clearly before making a costly mistake.