For me it’s more the complexity of today’s geopolitics that would make it impossible to call one a world war. In my example, is north korea engaged in the war? Not really, they are just lending (or selling) soldiers. Also Russia is not at war according to Putin, it’s just a military operation etc…
Indeed, but by breakthrough I mean curing cancer or aids for example. Billions poured in developing AI for war could maybe have brought such breakthroughs