Europe may not lead in building AI, but it is shaping how it is governed. This article explores whether regulation—through the AI Act and the Brussels Effect—can translate into global influence in an increasingly competitive technological landscape.
European Governance
Europe shapes the institutional, economic and political landscape within which many of the world’s regulatory and technological developments unfold.
As artificial intelligence depends on vast amounts of data, Europe faces a fundamental dilemma. This article explores how the AI Act and GDPR interact—balancing innovation, privacy and control while redefining how data can be used, governed and trusted.
Cities in Europe are evolving from passive infrastructure into strategic interfaces. This first Perspective explores how design, data and governance converge under the New European Bauhaus to reshape how space creates value, influences behaviour and distributes power.
Europe is quietly redesigning itself. Through the New European Bauhaus, cities become more than places to live—they become instruments of policy, value creation and identity. This series explores how design, technology and governance converge in Europe’s emerging urban economy.
Beyond chips and headlines, Brainport’s real strength may lie in the systems that quietly sustain society. From healthcare to energy, its ecosystem reveals a different model of innovation — one built on integration, resilience and real-world impact.
Europe is building a new generation of deep tech — but risks losing control at the moment of scale. As global capital steps in, the question shifts from innovation to ownership: who will finance, and ultimately shape, Europe’s technological future?
Europe’s semiconductor future may not lie in a single champion, but in a system. As a new chip stack emerges across compute, sensing, manufacturing and connectivity, the real question becomes whether Europe can recognise — and organise — its own architecture.
Europe’s chip future may not be defined by a single champion, but by a system. From AI compute to sensing, manufacturing and connectivity, a new stack is emerging — raising the question whether Europe can finally turn innovation into industrial power.
Black Semiconductor is redefining how chips communicate, using graphene and light to overcome the limits of copper. As AI systems scale, the real question shifts: who controls the connections that make intelligence work — and therefore, who controls power?
Smart Photonics is turning Europe’s photonics ambitions into industrial reality. As production shifts from lab to factory, a deeper question emerges: can Europe finally retain control over critical chip manufacturing — or will scale once again determine who holds power?
Innatera is building a new class of ultra-efficient AI chips that operate quietly at the edge. But as intelligence becomes invisible and embedded everywhere, a deeper question emerges: who controls the systems we no longer see — but increasingly depend on?
Axelera AI is emerging as one of Europe’s most promising chip companies, redefining AI at the edge. But behind its technological breakthrough lies a deeper question: can Europe retain control over innovation — or will scale once again shift power elsewhere?
