For more than a century, the biggest advantage of large manufacturers was scale. They had the giant factories, expensive machinery, technical knowledge and distribution networks. Ordinary people had no choice but to buy whatever they produced.
That advantage is beginning to disappear. China is showing the world what happens when technology becomes cheap, accessible and modular. The country’s electric vehicle revolution is perhaps the best example.
Companies that only a few years ago made smartphones, batteries, drones, consumer electronics and software are now manufacturing electric cars. The barriers that once protected traditional automobile giants have fallen dramatically. Never before has the world seen such an explosion of new vehicle manufacturers entering one industry in such a short period.
If this can happen to one of the world’s most complex products, why not many others? China is making industrial equipment smaller, cheaper and more capable every year. At the same time, artificial intelligence is becoming the world’s greatest teacher.
Soon, anyone will be able to ask AI how to produce almost anything safely and efficiently, then buy compact machines that once belonged only in factories. Imagine a household flour mill that produces fresh flour exactly the way your family likes it. A countertop brewer that makes beer with your preferred taste.
A machine that mixes soap without unnecessary chemicals. Toothpaste designed specifically for your sensitive teeth. Protein drinks, cooking oil, sauces and cosmetics all produced in small batches at home or in neighbourhood micro-factories.
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