Joëlle Pineau, chief AI officer at Cohere, warns that smaller AI players outside the US and China must collaborate to compete with dominant model makers. Speaking just one week after Cohere's merger with German startup Aleph Alpha, Pineau emphasized the necessity of pooling resources to create credible alternatives. She argues that without local capabilities, regions risk being held "by the throat" by US and Chinese tech giants.

The interview highlights a growing sentiment that fragmented AI development globally is unsustainable. The merger between Cohere and Aleph Alpha symbolizes a potential shift towards regional cooperation. By joining forces, smaller entities hope to challenge the duopoly currently held by US and Chinese AI powerhouses.

The strategy focuses on building sovereign AI capabilities that prioritize regional data privacy and economic interests. Pineau's insights underscore a pivotal moment in global AI strategy, where collaboration may be the only path to preserving technological autonomy outside the two superpowers.