The EU has a new strategy. It is intended to promote European AI tools

Strengthening the EU's sovereignty in the field of artificial intelligence (AI) is the goal of the European Commission's new strategy, reported the Financial Times, which obtained the draft proposal on this matter. Thanks to it, the EU is to reduce its current technological dependence on the US and China.

According to the daily's findings the new EU strategy “will promote European AI toolsto ensure security and resilience while enhancing the EU's industrial competitiveness.

In the document “Apply AI Strategy”obtained by the editorial office, emphasized that it is necessary to improve the use of AI, among others. in healthcare, defense and industry, as well as faster implementation of artificial intelligence-based solutions in public administration bodies. The EC would like to spend on the activities specified in the strategy EUR 1 billion from existing programs.

The description of the strategy states that the EC plans to “accelerate the development and deployment of European command and control (C2) capabilities based on artificial intelligence.” As explained, C2 systems, used to instruct soldiers and manage operations on the battlefield, belong to the so-called key factors, access to which for European armies, through NATO, is largely dependent on the US. In addition, the European Commission wants to “support the development of sovereign frontier models” in space defense technologies.

The strategy, which – as “FT” warns – may still change, was to be presented on Tuesday by the EU Commissioner for technological sovereignty, Henna Virkkunen.

The document warned against dependence on external entities for the infrastructure and software needed to create, train and manage AI applications, which – it stressed – “could be weaponized” by “state and non-state actors”.

The British newspaper noted that while thriving AI companies have emerged in Europe in recent years, including France's Mistral AI and Germany's Helsing, the EU still relies heavily on the US and Asian countries, including China, for the software, hardware and key minerals needed to develop artificial intelligence.

As “FT” wrote, the EU wants to “prioritize the implementation of European AI-based tools in the field of defense, as European capitals are rapidly increasing defense spending in response to the threat from Russia and fears grow that under President Donald Trump the US will withdraw from (providing – PAP) European security.”

From London Marta Zabłocka (PAP)

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