The article states that while the United States and China lead the artificial intelligence race, with American companies such as OpenAI, Google and Anthropic pushing capabilities forward and Chinese companies developing competitive systems, small countries such as Fiji need to ask a different question. It says Fiji is unlikely to build the world’s most powerful AI model or manufacture advanced computer chips, but does not have to remain a spectator; the real competition for Fiji is against its own lack of preparedness. The article notes encouraging signs that Fiji is paying greater attention to digital transformation and emerging technologies, and says the bigger opportunity lies among ordinary Fijians, citing teachers preparing differentiated learning activities, reading materials, analysing results and creating resources faster, small business owners preparing advertisements, business plans and customer communications, farmers using AI-supported information for weather, crops and markets, and government departments reducing paperwork and making services easier to access. It says Fiji already has a significant level of internet use, but not everyone has the same quality of connectivity, devices or digital skills, warning that AI could reduce inequality or increase it, and argues Fiji’s response should not simply be to purchase more technology but to develop people, with digital literacy and AI literacy part of education beginning at an appropriate level in schools.