At a recent gathering of industry leaders, a prominent theologian and ethics expert presented a compelling analysis suggesting that artificial intelligence is quietly orchestrating one of the most significant redistributions of economic power in modern history. Speaking at the 2025 Trieste Coffee Experts summit, Father Paolo Benanti, a Franciscan theologian specializing in the ethics of innovation, argued that AI is not merely a new tool for efficiency but a new form of governance that is fundamentally altering who controls value and profit. His address moved beyond abstract technological discussions, grounding the debate in the tangible realities of traditional industries, using the global coffee market as a prime example. The central message was a clear and urgent call for proactive governance, urging businesses to understand that the code being written today is defining the economic rulebook of tomorrow. Without careful consideration and ethical frameworks, industries risk becoming vassals to the very technologies they adopt for progress.
A New Locus of Economic Power
The core of the argument rests on a profound shift in how value is defined and captured in the modern economy, a transition from physical goods to “software-defined” products. In this new paradigm, the intrinsic worth of an object is increasingly determined not by its material components but by the sophisticated software that animates it. This dynamic is already well-established in sectors like the automotive and smartphone industries, where consumers purchase hardware but essentially license the software that governs its functionality. This model effectively transfers a significant portion of the economic value and, more critically, the decision-making authority from the manufacturer to the technology developer. The power no longer resides with the creator of the physical product but with the architect of its digital brain. This subtle yet powerful transfer of control is creating a new hierarchy where technology providers hold the keys to innovation, updates, and ultimately, the long-term profitability of the products they empower.
This transformation is now rapidly permeating traditionally analog sectors, with the coffee industry serving as a powerful case study. The contemporary espresso machine, for instance, is evolving from a mechanical apparatus into a complex, sensor-laden device driven by proprietary software that analyzes everything from water pressure to grind consistency. Beyond individual machines, digital platforms are being deployed across the entire supply chain to aggregate and analyze vast amounts of consumption data, creating unprecedented insight into market trends and consumer behavior. As a result, the economic value derived from a simple cup of coffee is no longer confined to the grower, the roaster, or the café owner. Instead, a growing share is being diverted to the technology companies that manage the data and control the digital infrastructure, a trend that threatens to marginalize the very artisans and producers who have long been the heart of the industry.
Navigating Risks and Seizing Opportunities
This technological integration presents a landscape fraught with both significant peril and immense potential. The primary risk, as outlined in the analysis, is a gradual yet irreversible loss of strategic control. For many businesses, adopting turnkey AI solutions appears to be a shortcut to modernization and efficiency. However, this convenience comes at a steep price. By outsourcing core processes to third-party AI systems, companies are not just delegating tasks; they are handing over their strategic autonomy and critical control over their own profit margins. Over time, this dependency can become so entrenched that the business is no longer the master of its own destiny, effectively ceding authority over the economic value it generates to external technology providers. This scenario represents a modern form of economic colonization, where innovation is dictated by outside forces rather than internal expertise.
Conversely, when AI is integrated with foresight and careful governance, it offers substantial opportunities to fortify and enhance traditional industries. Thoughtfully applied artificial intelligence can lead to marked improvements in production quality, optimize energy consumption to lower costs and environmental impact, and significantly reduce waste throughout the supply chain. A particularly compelling application lies in the digital preservation and scaling of artisanal skills, where AI can learn from master craftspeople and help disseminate their techniques more broadly. Furthermore, the “datafication” of industry processes can empower smaller companies to form cooperative research and development models. By pooling their data and insights, these smaller players can create a powerful counterbalance to their dependence on large technology corporations, fostering a more distributed and equitable innovation ecosystem while revolutionizing the consumer experience with personalized, high-quality offerings.
The Hidden Burdens and an Ethical Mandate
A crucial challenge that often goes unmentioned in discussions of AI adoption is the technology’s staggering energy consumption, a hidden cost with the potential to destabilize local economies. Artificial intelligence does not operate in a vacuum; it is powered by vast, energy-hungry data centers that place an immense strain on regional power grids. This reality was starkly illustrated in Ohio, where the rapid expansion of data centers to support AI and other digital infrastructure led to a 77% increase in local electricity prices within a single year. The prospect of a similar scenario unfolding in Europe, where energy costs are already substantially higher, poses a grave threat to the competitiveness of premium supply chains. For industries like Italian coffee, which rely on a reputation for quality and craftsmanship, a sudden and dramatic surge in production costs could render their products prohibitively expensive on the global market, effectively pricing them out of contention.
In his final analysis, Father Benanti emphasized that the path forward was not to reject innovation but to embrace it responsibly through a framework he termed “Algor-ethics.” This approach called for a conscious and deliberate negotiation of how AI is developed and deployed, ensuring that technology serves to augment human work rather than devalue or displace it. The core principle of Algor-ethics was the alignment of technological advancement with foundational human values, including dignity, sustainability, and the economic protection of those who create tangible value along the supply chain. The summit was left with a powerful directive: to move beyond passive adoption and become active architects of a technological future where innovation empowers humanity rather than simply enriching a new technological elite. The message underscored that the true measure of progress would be found in its ability to foster a more just and equitable economic order for all participants.
