It’s a bit naïve—almost a textbook neo-western, ego-centric mindset—where everything is attributed to a brilliant personality, and all setbacks are blamed on some mysterious villains.
But in reality, market forces explain it more cleanly—think corporate priorities and shifting strategies, not just “evil managers.”
It’s simpler than it seems. In the past, growing a tech company meant building more products and features, which required more people. That’s how you scaled.
Now, in the AI era, growth often means more GPUs and a smaller, highly skilled team solving business problems.
The pattern of investment has shifted. It’s not about corporate greed—it’s about evolving models of efficiency.
This, btw, is also why claims that some side is targeting civilians in otherwise 'productive' warfare (e.g. actually achieving things instead of bombing for the sake of fear/terrorism/headlines/photo ops) is usually just lying propaganda. Civilians are a worse than 0 value target meaning you completely wasted your munitions.
Train a soldier is hundreds of thousands.
Manufacturing , both Ukraine and Russia , generally speaking technological midgets, producing as of today millions a year. Ukraines projected output is around 4 millions in 2025
China can easily produce tens of millions. Even if 1 out 4 hit your target , that’s any army of any size in the world obliterated without new recruits.