Artificial intelligence (AI)

Europe is heavily dependent on US companies for cloud services, AI and digital infrastructure. However, the close ties between Big Tech and politics in the US exacerbate the risks associated with this dependence. The EU needs to realign its digital strategy.

From the Digital Services Act to EuroStack, MEP Alexandra Geese argues that Europe's digital sovereignty will not be won by copying US platform models. It requires investment, industrial policy, and the courage to build on Europe's own democratic strengths.

The AI gold rush is rewriting the rules of energy, politics and society at once. Europe's answer so far has been a sovereignty debate. Our latest newsletter argues the bigger question is what kind of society AI will create.

Between digital dominance and democratic freedom: how can Germany and Europe strengthen their digital sovereignty? Rebecca Lenhard, spokesperson for digital policy for the Greens in the Bundestag, provides some answers.

AI is no longer just a technological issue – it sits at the heart of Europe’s regulatory agenda and democratic future. From the Digital Services Act (DSA) and Digital Markets Act (DMA) to emerging frameworks on trustworthy AI, the EU is actively shaping how power, responsibility and accountability are distributed in the digital sphere. At the same time, AI’s impact on labour, markets and global competition is accelerating. Karen Hao’s investigative work sheds light on how dominant tech companies are driving the current AI boom, often outpacing existing governance tools. Her reporting raises urgent questions about concentration of power, data extraction, and the gap between innovation and oversight. In this conversation, Karen Hao reflected on her global research and engage with the European approach to digital regulation. The discussion with MEP Alexandra Geese (Greens/EFA) explored how the EU can build on its DSA and DMA foundations to advance ethical, human-centric AI – ensuring that technological development aligns with democratic values, protects workers, and serves the public interest. Moderated by by Roderick Kefferpütz.

Both the U.S. and the EU are retreating from efforts to regulate the risks of AI. With growing economic nationalism and AI spending driving markets, the two sides are competing for AI innovation instead of collaborating to address AI risks and supporting trust in the technology. The Trump administration’s latest Executive Order on AI seeks to preempt state laws without a federal framework already in place, leaving a gap in regulation. Meanwhile, the EU is scaling back the AI Act. Big Tech stands to gain from the deregulatory pushes, while the populations of the U.S. and Europe absorb the risks.

In November, the European Commission unveiled the long-awaited Democracy Shield initiative, designed to counter threats such as disinformation and foreign interference. While it acknowledges the systemic risk European democracy faces, the Shield falls short of addressing its root causes: engagement-based algorithms, Big Tech dominance, geopolitical dependency, and deep divisions that make Europe vulnerable to polarising messages. An interview with Alexandra Geese, Green Member of the European Parliament. 

While much of the AI debate focuses on its economic potential, its expanding physical footprint tells a different story. The machines driving this revolution depend on a resource far older – and far more contested – than data or electricity.

Tackling climate disinformation requires sustained investment, yet the counter-disinformation community remains underfunded, and regulation faces significant resistance, writes Zora Siebert.

We are in the middle of the AI race. On April 9, Digital Commissioner Henna Virkkunen presented the EU's new AI Continent Action Plan. The goal? Making Europe a global hub for AI innovation. No more talk of bans or limitations. The action plan is about boosting competitiveness and claiming leadership. We asked Alexandra Geese MEP (Greens/EFA) what this shift means. 

This week marks 100 days of the von der Leyen II European Commission. A deadline by which President von der Leyen promised a range of initiatives, as outlined in her 2024-2029 political guidelines. We take a look at the main initiatives launched, in a time when Europe is adapting to shifting geopolitical paradigms.

Something sounds awry about the term ‘twin transition’. The concept, often used in EU or UN contexts, ties two crucial transitions: the move to renewable energy and the digitalisation of economies. While it sounds forward thinking, evidence suggests this pairing may be less beneficial than promised. As developing countries bear the socio-environmental costs while reaping limited benefits, a handful of tech giants continue to dominate global markets. Paz Peña raises a crucial question: is this ‘transition’ truly a path to equity, or does it deepen old divides under the guise of green progress?

The EU is undergoing a historic shift in economic and tech policy, embracing industrial policy to shape Europe’s digital future. However, public investments in large-scale AI risk reinforcing dominant players and undermining climate goals. Europe must align these investments with societal goals, tackle tech sector monopolies, and ensure innovation serves the public interest.

Digital technologies are now a global priority, like security and climate change. The 2024 UN Summit of the Future brings the Global Majority into internet and AI governance. The UN Convention on Cybercrime may do the same for cybersecurity. At the same time, the centralization at the UN risks empowering governments and undermining human rights.

The upcoming European Parliament elections are set to be a critical test in the fight against disinformation. With new regulations and AI challenges, how will Europe ensure election integrity?

Katrin Köppert takes a new look at the explainability of AI systems, through a queer perspective. Queersplaining means not only explaining AI, but also revealing the inherent contradictions and power structures. An explainability that does not support the illusion of a universal solution, but recognises the complexity and context dependency of AI.

In this super election year, concerns loom over how artificial intelligence might impact elections worldwide. Technology’s advances, coupled with the potential misuse of bad actors, are a real threat. However, there are intriguing contrasts in attitudes towards AI and the use of technology between Europe and the Global South. Prof. Dr. Payal Arora, Chair of Inclusive AI Cultures at the Department of Media & Culture Studies at Utrecht University, challenges prevailing narratives of techno-pessimism. She offers a nuanced perspective on the transformative potential of technology within inclusive frameworks. Zora Siebert asked her three key questions.

Governments worldwide have been adopting national AI strategies to guide the design of policies for enhancing Artificial Intelligence (AI) development. Through these strategies, many countries have expressed AI’s potential for helping combat environmental degradation, but almost none have reflected on the role of strategies in reducing AI’s own environmental impacts. This article discusses this trend and reflects on how public policies could help make AI development and deployment less impactful.

The AI Act has finally overcome its latest hurdle in the European Union’s legislative procedure after its adoption by the European Parliament. However, a void in its final version draws attention to the weakening of obligations aimed at reducing AI’s environmental impacts, despite the technology’s severe impacts on local communities, fauna and flora, both within and beyond European borders, particularly in the Majority World. This commentary investigates the opportunities missed by EU bodies to address such impacts during the AI Act debates.

US President Joe Biden issued an Executive Order on artificial intelligence that, while different in form and enforcement authority from the EU’s AI Act, targets many of the current risks of the technology. With policies in effect soon, the EU and US have the chance to work together.