AKoBold Metals worker at the soil sample analysis laboratory during lithium exploration in Manono, in the southeastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, on September 9, 2026. Geologists push deeper into the bush, guided by an interactive map generated by AI: in DRC, the American company KoBold Metals has entered the global race for critical minerals with a highly skilled army of "explorers" directed by artificial intelligence. The arrival in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) of this young company, created in 2018 thanks to investors like Bill Gates and Jeff Bezos, is part of a broader U.S. strategy to secure supplies of strategic minerals and reduce China's dominance in the sector. (Photo by GLODY MURHABAZI / AFP via Getty Images)