When the printing press was invented, literacy exploded—but only for those who could afford books. When the internet arrived, it transformed the world—but those without access were left behind. Now, with superintelligent AI on the horizon, we stand at the edge of another seismic shift. And unless we act, the gap between those who benefit and those who don’t could be the widest yet.
Preska Thomas, the visionary founder of DebitMyData, has a warning: “If we don’t democratize the value of AI now, we’re going to see a wealth divide unlike anything humanity has ever experienced.”
The New Divide: Owners of AI vs. Users of AI
Today, AI leaders like OpenAI, Meta, and Google are racing to build increasingly advanced systems—GPT-5 being the latest jaw-dropper. These systems can create, predict, analyze, and strategize at levels that once required teams of human experts. For corporations, this means staggering gains in productivity and profit. For individuals, it risks creating dependency without reward.
Preska draws the line clearly: “If you don’t own part of the intelligence, you’re just fueling someone else’s machine.”
While tech giants like Mark Zuckerberg discuss superintelligent AI capable of outperforming human reasoning, Preska focuses on a different kind of intelligence—the economic intelligence needed to ensure that AI’s benefits aren’t hoarded by the few.
Why DebitMyData Matters in the AI Era
DebitMyData is more than a platform—it’s a shift in the balance of power. At its core, it allows individuals to own, control, and monetize their personal data. And in the AI age, data is the raw fuel that trains and powers every algorithm.
“Think about it,” Preska says. “Your data—your preferences, your activity, your insights—helps make AI smarter every day. Why should you be the only one not getting paid for that?”
With DebitMyData, users can track how their data is used, negotiate its value, and receive direct financial benefit. In other words, she’s giving people a stake in the most valuable asset of the century.
The Stakes Have Never Been Higher
Preska’s urgency isn’t theoretical. Economists are already warning of an AI wealth concentration effect. When AI automates high-paying jobs—legal research, medical analysis, financial forecasting—companies that own the AI will reap the profits, while displaced workers may see their income vanish.
“This isn’t about resisting automation,” Preska clarifies. “It’s about making sure that automation’s rewards don’t bypass the people who made it possible in the first place.”
A Plan for an Inclusive AI Future
Preska’s approach is built on three pillars:
- Data Ownership as a Right — Individuals must have legal and technological control over their personal data.
- Transparent Value Exchange — Every time data is used to train or operate AI, the contributors should be compensated.
- Global Accessibility — These tools shouldn’t just be for the tech-savvy elite; they must work for anyone, anywhere in the world.
It’s a vision that contrasts sharply with the “winner takes all” mindset dominating much of the AI industry.
From Fear to Opportunity
The idea of a looming AI wealth gap can feel daunting, but Preska’s message is anything but fatalistic. She sees a rare chance to rewrite the economic rules before the ink dries.
“History doesn’t have to repeat itself,” she says. “This time, we can make sure that the benefits of revolutionary technology are distributed, not concentrated. But we have to start now—before the systems are locked in.”
In the coming decade, AI may well surpass human intelligence in countless domains. But Preska Thomas is proving that the intelligence we need most right now is human—visionary, ethical, and unwilling to let history’s inequalities scale with its technology.
