đ đļđ°đŋđŧđđŧđŗđ đ´đļđ¯đ đļđģ đąđ˛đģ đģđŽĖđ°đĩđđđ˛đģ đ˛ đ đŧđģđŽđđ˛đģ đ´đŦ đ đļđšđšđļđŽđŋđąđ˛đģ đ¨đĻ-đđŧđšđšđŽđŋ đŗđĖđŋ đđ đŽđđ!
A single private company thus invests around 250 times as much money in 6 months as the entire European Horizon program for AI funding, which has been running for years.
In an interview(https://www.zeit.de/digital/2025-01/kuenstliche-intelligenz-ki-microsoft-investitionen), Microsoft Vice President Brad Smith said two things that give me pause for thought:
“đđ¯ đˇđĒđĻđđĻđŗđđĻđĒ đđĒđ¯đ´đĒđ¤đŠđĩ đĒđ´đĩ đĨđĒđĻ đŦđļĖđ¯đ´đĩđđĒđ¤đŠđĻ đđ¯đĩđĻđđđĒđ¨đĻđ¯đģ đĨđĒđĻ đđđĻđŦđĩđŗđĒđģđĒđĩđĸĖđĩ đļđ¯đ´đĻđŗđĻđŗ đĄđĻđĒđĩ, đļđ¯đĨ đĨđĒđĻ đ¯đĸĖđ¤đŠđ´đĩđĻđ¯ đˇđĒđĻđŗ đđĸđŠđŗđĻ đŦđ°Ėđ¯đ¯đĻđ¯ đĨđĒđĻ đđŗđļđ¯đĨđđĸđ¨đĻ đ§đļĖđŗ đđŽđĻđŗđĒđŦđĸđ´ đ¸đĒđŗđĩđ´đ¤đŠđĸđ§đĩđđĒđ¤đŠđĻđ¯ đđŗđ§đ°đđ¨ đĒđŽ đ¯đĸĖđ¤đŠđ´đĩđĻđ¯ đđĒđĻđŗđĩđĻđđĢđĸđŠđŗđŠđļđ¯đĨđĻđŗđĩ đŖđĒđđĨđĻđ¯”
“đđ¯đ¨đĻđ´đĒđ¤đŠđĩđ´ đĨđĻđŗ đđĻđ´đ¤đŠđĸđ§đ§đĻđ¯đŠđĻđĒđĩ đĨđĻđŗ đđĻđ¤đŠđ¯đ°đđ°đ¨đĒđĻđŽđĸĖđŗđŦđĩđĻ […] đ¸đĒđŗđĨ đĨđĻđŗ đđĻđĩđĩđđĸđļđ§ đģđ¸đĒđ´đ¤đŠđĻđ¯ đĨđĻđ¯ đđđ đļđ¯đĨ đđŠđĒđ¯đĸ đļđŽ đĒđ¯đĩđĻđŗđ¯đĸđĩđĒđ°đ¯đĸđđĻđ¯ đđĒđ¯đ§đđļđ´đ´ đ¸đĸđŠđŗđ´đ¤đŠđĻđĒđ¯đđĒđ¤đŠ đˇđ°đ¯ đĨđĻđŽđĢđĻđ¯đĒđ¨đĻđ¯ đ¨đĻđ¸đ°đ¯đ¯đĻđ¯, đĨđĻđŗ đĸđŽ đ´đ¤đŠđ¯đĻđđđ´đĩđĻđ¯ đˇđ°đŗđĸđ¯đŦđ°đŽđŽđĩ”
As dramatic and sobering as I find this from a European perspective, I have to agree with him. The next few months (in my opinion months, not years) are crucial for laying the foundations for technological leadership in the coming decades. And I currently only see the private sector (and possibly China) in a position to make these investments in the short term.
Governments, countries and economic areas are too slow and too sluggish for this.
đđŽđ đ¯đ˛đąđ˛đđđ˛đ, đąđŽđđ đĻđ°đĩđšđĖđđđ˛đšđđ˛đ°đĩđģđŧđšđŧđ´đļđ˛đģ đŗđĖđŋ đąđļđ˛ đđđ¸đđģđŗđ đąđ˛đŋ đ đ˛đģđđ°đĩđĩđ˛đļđ (đˇđŽ, đŋđļđ°đĩđđļđ´ đ´đ˛đšđ˛đđ˛đģ) đļđģ đŊđŋđļđđŽđđđļđŋđđđ°đĩđŽđŗđđšđļđ°đĩđ˛đŋ đđŽđģđą đšđļđ˛đ´đ˛đģ!
With its dependence on Space-X’s private Starlink Internet, Ukraine is already experiencing what it can mean when states privatize their infrastructure. It will be similar with AI.
Nevertheless, Europe is one of the most important economic areas in the world with many people, clever minds and shared values. We need to develop these qualities in a targeted manner:
1. đđąđđ°đŽđđļđŧđģ: Training bright minds to develop applications based on AI
2. đđđŽđŋđŋđ˛đģđ˛đđ: Create values and awareness in society, educate
3. đĨđ˛đ´đ´đđšđŽđđļđŧđģ: Establish rules and framework conditions that protect data and rights
In this way, we as Europeans can become pioneers of responsible, safe AI applications based on a common understanding of values.
We should not see this as a defeat against Big Tech, but as an opportunity!
