Amid increasing dependence on artificial intelligence across government, industry and society, robust digital policy is becoming increasingly critical. Is the EU prepared for an AI-powered future?
It seems fitting that the first print issue of The Parliament I’m fully involved in focuses on the EU’s AI and digital policy. You don’t need to have lived in Germany or covered it for 15 years, as I have, to know that the bloc’s largest member isn’t exactly tech-savvy. Many of its industries struggle to out-innovate foreign competitors, and the finance minister has complained that the government’s IT systems can’t handle sending direct payments to citizens in need.
It’s little surprise that some of the stiffest resistance to Mario Draghi’s ‘competitiveness report,’ which hinted at raising new EU debt, came from Berlin.
His long-awaited tome, released last month, was the technocratic equivalent of breaking glass in an emergency. When it comes to nurturing startups, attracting talent and keeping up with technological breakthroughs, the EU is becoming a spectator in a race between the US and China.
What to do? The Draghi report, which prioritises AI and digital innovation, makes recommendations while highlighting tough choices the EU faces. Leading the way is the energy conundrum, given the enormous electricity requirements for training AI and running data centres, all while adhering to climate targets in the Green Deal.
At the same time, the race to secure microchip supply chains – compounded by increasingly nationalist industrial policies in the US and China – has forced the EU to step up domestic production, complicating its climate ambitions. Even if it can compete economically, the EU risks sacrificing the values that define it.
“I don’t want Europe to have just a few billionaires who then tell us what to do,” an MEP tells The Parliament, referring to the US. “I don’t want to become like China.”
In less than two years since ChatGPT became a household name, we’ve had a glimpse of that future. That’s why, despite its struggles with innovation, the EU has been at the forefront in one regard: legislation. First-of-its-kind rulemaking like the AI Act and Digital Services Act gives the EU an edge in keeping tech giants in check. But, as a slew of contributing op-eds argue, regulations need to be as smart as the AI they govern.
The pace of change is too fast for a monthly print issue to keep up with, which is why you won’t want to miss our weekly newsletter. It will be getting a fresh new look soon, so sign up on our recently relaunched website. Rest assured, there will always be a human at the helm – no matter how good AI becomes.
- William Noah Glucroft, Deputy Editor