Generative AI as a Geopolitical Factor in Industry 5.0: Sovereignty, Access, and Control

Abstract: Industry 5.0 marks a new phase in industrial evolution, emphasizing human-centricity, sustainability, and resilience through the integration of advanced technologies. Within this evolving landscape, Generative AI (GenAI) and autonomous systems are not only transforming industrial processes but also emerging as pivotal geopolitical instruments. We examine strategic implications of GenAI in Industry 5.0, arguing that these technologies have become national assets central to sovereignty, access, and global influence. As countries compete for AI supremacy, growing disparities in talent, computational infrastructure, and data access are reshaping global power hierarchies and accelerating the fragmentation of the digital economy. The human-centric ethos of Industry 5.0, anchored in collaboration between humans and intelligent systems, increasingly conflicts with the autonomy and opacity of GenAI, raising urgent governance challenges related to meaningful human control, dual-use risks, and accountability. We analyze how these dynamics influence defense strategies, industrial competitiveness, and supply chain resilience, including the geopolitical weaponization of export controls and the rise of data sovereignty. Our contribution synthesizes technological, economic, and ethical perspectives to propose a comprehensive framework for navigating the intersection of GenAI and geopolitics. We call for governance models that balance national autonomy with international coordination while safeguarding human-centric values in an increasingly AI-driven world.