> Finally, and in parallel to this, the Commission should build a new relationship with the US. It is a hard pill to swallow: whether we like it or not, in the medium term, Europe will depend on American compute and chip infrastructure to grow its own providers at the application layer.
As a European I have long given up on any meaningful change w.r.t AI. Imho the average European is much more risk averse than the average American or Chinese. That and a plethora of other factors that have been discussed over and over again, make it unlikely that we'll see things change within the next ten years or so. Only massive and immediate threats (e.g. he crisis in Ukraine) will make people and governments reconsider their fundamental beliefs (and even then the pace of change will be slow).
I have been invited in one of the UA/EU UAV cooperation programs. The largest government body is behind this program. The invitation was a 38-page PDF, out of which 36 pages were dedicated to regulatory compliance and <2 pages about actual requirements for the product.
I just don't think we are able to do things. Language and countries split us apart.
Americans have one big internal market. Chinese as well. Indians - also.
In Europe? We just can't, you need to start in one country, you need to localise your products, then offer support in various languages, and I didn't even start to say anything about various tax laws or laws in general in other countries of the Union.
I believe that's the biggest issue we have and it will never be resolved.
Anthropic and OpenAI have seen consistent revenue growth, as have their Chinese peers like Alibaba and DeepSeek.
While some aspects of AI are overstated, it has had a very real and tangible impact at least in the US and China in a number of white collar roles.
Additonally, the fact that China is allocating $295B [0] for an AI buildout as is the US [1] and are using it to also help their domestic GreenTech and DeepTech ecosystems means the AI boom is having a downstream impact in multiple sectors.
EU states already missed out on the Dotcom, Social Media, Cloud, IoT, EV, and GreenTech booms at the expense of the US and China. If your sentiment is the norm within Europe, then both the US and China are correct to view the EU states as junior partners. States that control the technological frontier also control their destiny.
Step one will result in the collapse of the pension system. We need to first make the pension system more robust before proceeding to roll out air conditioning across the continent.
I have noticed that austerity first economics is correlated with poor economic performance. There is no avoiding change and the question is if nations lean into the change or wall themselves into isolation and stagnation
Basically Europe needs to become best friends with China and buy all the solar panels and all the electronics they are willing to spare. But the ineffective incumbent European industries throw rocks into those gears. Even though EU consumers are delighted with what China has to offer.
I think political landscape could use consumer focused political parties. Screw the business, screw the rent-seekers, rights-holders and estate-holders. Best deal for the consumer is king. Europe is first and foremost a market. And our politics should represent that.
Except best deal for consumer is subsidized (aka dumping) by CCP until local competition is destroyed. Next year solar and batteries are going to have price hikes because China finally stopped export subsidies.
But then perhaps if you believe Peter Thiels "Competition is for suckers" thesis then enabling monopoly focus on cost rather than competition is best for everyone.
> Basically Europe needs to become best friends with China...
China has embargoed rare earth exports to the EU [0] as well as enforcing sanctions against the EU's domestic drone and UAV industry [1]. China is also training Russian soldiers on drone tactics to be used in Ukraine [2][3] as well as continuing to back Russia's position on Ukraine [4].
If Europe wishes to be "friends" with China, it means giving Russia primacy within Europe by giving up Ukraine, as well as completely giving up on European domestic industry.
This is obviously unacceptable for most eastern EU member states.
America has already switched it off. Cutting edge Fable being US only was as clear of a warning shot as it gets. Especially considering China will not keep theirs open forever
Decisions here are made slowly, with complete information, and agreement from all parties. Once they’re made they’re then slow to change for all the same reasons.
Until this changes I don’t think Europe has any hope of competing with the US or China on anything they decide is important.
Nah, we rather regulate ourselves out of existence. Any investment you do, the money will go to paying random taxes and fees to services that make sure you are filling the arbitrary criteria of bullshit. Maybe after that you have some pocket change to spend on your idea instead.
And if you do happen to make a successful company, then the governments want a cut of that too, because making money is a no-no thing.
A very long sounding "medium term".
I have been invited in one of the UA/EU UAV cooperation programs. The largest government body is behind this program. The invitation was a 38-page PDF, out of which 36 pages were dedicated to regulatory compliance and <2 pages about actual requirements for the product.
No, EU will not reconsider their beliefs.
Americans have one big internal market. Chinese as well. Indians - also.
In Europe? We just can't, you need to start in one country, you need to localise your products, then offer support in various languages, and I didn't even start to say anything about various tax laws or laws in general in other countries of the Union.
I believe that's the biggest issue we have and it will never be resolved.
While some aspects of AI are overstated, it has had a very real and tangible impact at least in the US and China in a number of white collar roles.
Additonally, the fact that China is allocating $295B [0] for an AI buildout as is the US [1] and are using it to also help their domestic GreenTech and DeepTech ecosystems means the AI boom is having a downstream impact in multiple sectors.
EU states already missed out on the Dotcom, Social Media, Cloud, IoT, EV, and GreenTech booms at the expense of the US and China. If your sentiment is the norm within Europe, then both the US and China are correct to view the EU states as junior partners. States that control the technological frontier also control their destiny.
[0] - https://www.reuters.com/world/china/china-prepares-295-billi...
[1] - https://www.blackrock.com/us/individual/insights/energy-and-...
I think political landscape could use consumer focused political parties. Screw the business, screw the rent-seekers, rights-holders and estate-holders. Best deal for the consumer is king. Europe is first and foremost a market. And our politics should represent that.
Except best deal for consumer is subsidized (aka dumping) by CCP until local competition is destroyed. Next year solar and batteries are going to have price hikes because China finally stopped export subsidies.
But then perhaps if you believe Peter Thiels "Competition is for suckers" thesis then enabling monopoly focus on cost rather than competition is best for everyone.
China has embargoed rare earth exports to the EU [0] as well as enforcing sanctions against the EU's domestic drone and UAV industry [1]. China is also training Russian soldiers on drone tactics to be used in Ukraine [2][3] as well as continuing to back Russia's position on Ukraine [4].
If Europe wishes to be "friends" with China, it means giving Russia primacy within Europe by giving up Ukraine, as well as completely giving up on European domestic industry.
This is obviously unacceptable for most eastern EU member states.
[0] - https://www.reuters.com/world/china/eu-firms-brace-more-shut...
[1] - https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3351292/...
[2] - https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/russians-...
[3] - https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/russia-ap...
[4] - https://www.reuters.com/world/china/putin-says-russia-china-...
It is in fact too late.
Until this changes I don’t think Europe has any hope of competing with the US or China on anything they decide is important.
And if you do happen to make a successful company, then the governments want a cut of that too, because making money is a no-no thing.
Bear in mind that at this point you will owe in taxes multiple times over what your whole company is worth.