The AI Summit in Paris recently brought together the most influential names in world politics and technology. While it may seem like a routine event to many, it was actually one of the key platforms that would define Europe's position in the future technology race.
Political leaders such as French President Emmanuel Macron, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US Vice President C.D. Vance were present, as well as technology giants such as OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, Meta's chief AI scientist Yann LeCun and Alphabet's CEO Sundar Pichai. These names not only reveal the role of AI in the business world, but also its importance in the global geopolitical balance.
The competition between Europe, the US and China in the field of AI has the potential to change the global balance of power. Isabelle Riel, co-founder of the Paris Institute for Artificial Intelligence Research, makes it clear that Europe is not lagging behind in research, but China is moving towards leadership, investing billions of dollars in this field.
Applying the US model to compete with the US
US President Donald Trump’s move to deregulate AI and accelerate innovation is forcing Europe to take similar steps. While European businesspeople and investors see this as an opportunity, some experts believe it could threaten Europe’s technological sovereignty.
Dataiku CEO Florian Duyetto says that access to the US market is essential for European startups to become global leaders. But it also poses certain risks:
“Currently, 80% of the AI infrastructure in Europe is largely controlled by seven large US companies. What happens if they raise prices by 20%?”
This is a serious warning for Europe’s future technological independence. Macron, on the other hand, intends to simplify regulatory rules to make Europe more competitive in AI. In other words, Europe is ready to remove all bureaucratic obstacles that hinder development in this field.
Sam Altman says regulation is essential
Altman himself emphasizes the importance of regulating artificial intelligence. He says that the exponential development of this technology should be carried out under state control in order to prevent negative consequences. Sam Altman, who is on a "World Tour" in 2023, said while in London that
"If Europe's new artificial intelligence legislation is too strict, OpenAI will withdraw its programs from this continent."
It should be noted that French President E. Macron met with OpenAI CEO Sam Altman in 2023 to discuss AI.
AI requires large investments
Currently, the US has announced the launch of the $500 billion "Stargate AI" project. Europe, on the other hand, has announced that it will invest 200 billion euros in the field of artificial intelligence. This difference shows how difficult Europe is facing in the technology race.
But Macron’s new €109 billion investment package offers new hope for France and Europe as a whole. The rise of French startups like Mistral AI and the launch of startups like Current AI show that Europe is committed to developing its own leaders in the field.
Ultimately, if Europe wants to increase its power in AI, it must both maintain its technological sovereignty and be agile and innovative enough to compete with the US and China. As Macron has emphasized:
“We will simplify regulations. We must synchronize with the rest of the world.”
To win this race, Europe must not only change the rules, but also take revolutionary steps in AI.
