The tech industry has, historically and in aggregate, had pretty solid rates of returns. If I was sitting on a dwindling store of natural resources as my primary store of wealth, I would probably want to try to diversify that wealth into other areas and grow that wealth aggressively while my potentially limited income source is still highly profitable.
I'm not sure that more nefarious aims need to be posited than simple avarice.
I'm not sure that more nefarious aims need to be posited than simple avarice.