Europe Unveils New Strategy to Strengthen AI Competitiveness at Berlin Digital Summit
Europe Unveils New Strategy to Strengthen AI Competitiveness at Berlin Digital Summit
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European leaders used the Berlin Digital Summit on Tuesday to signal a renewed push for technological sovereignty and a stronger position in the global artificial intelligence race.
More details in the following report:
The summit, held on 18 November, brought together senior officials from across the continent and was framed as a platform to consolidate Europe’s digital independence in the face of dominant U.S. tech companies. According to Agence France-Presse (AFP), the event was designed to convene Europe’s leading technology policymakers, featuring high-level participation from Germany and France.
During the opening session, the European Commission’s head of digital policy said the EU’s objective was to achieve “leadership in advanced technologies and artificial intelligence,” rather than remain in the shadow of global competitors. The official stressed that Europe already possesses the market capacity, talent base, and innovative potential required to compete, but must expand investment and promote wider public acceptance of emerging technologies.
European outlets reported that the summit coincided with new EU scrutiny of U.S. cloud service providers. Regulators in Brussels are examining the market influence of Amazon and Microsoft amid growing concerns over the extent of American technological dominance in Europe.
According to AFP, the United States and China continue to lead global progress in AI, while Europe is seeking to close the gap. Despite rising tensions between the EU and Washington under the “America First” policy environment, a senior French official told the agency that the Berlin gathering was not intended as a confrontation, but rather as a forum to “protect Europe’s core sovereignty.”
The official added that discussions focused on paving legal and operational pathways to reinforce the continent’s digital autonomy and curb reliance on foreign technology—an issue analysts view as one of Europe’s most pressing strategic challenges.
