Washington (CNN)A Texas Republican and former CIA officer warned Sunday that the US must lead on artificial intelligence or the nation will see its economy fall behind.

In the recent past, both Crowdfunding and Artificial Intelligence (AI) development, have been touted as industries that could change the world. And it appears that they are doing so – albeit, at their own pace. For Crowdfunding, that change is in the way people fund businesses, donate to charity and find the perfect investment on their own terms. When it comes to AI, it's an industry that's moving forward all the time. Think the Internet of Things (IoT), big data processing in financial services and online customer service. But now, as both industries grow in maturity, is it time for two of the world's most significant disruptors to work together?