Lagarde Warns EU Must Develop Own AI or Risk Dependence on US-China

European Central Bank (ECB) President Christine Lagarde warned that Europe must develop its own artificial intelligence capabilities to avoid dependence on US and Chinese control. She emphasized that advanced AI development is concentrated in these two countries, creating risks for European firms.

Lagarde pointed out that the increasing power of AI models from companies like Anthropic and OpenAI has led to concerns over access control. The recent imposition of US export controls on some of Anthropic's most powerful models has highlighted Europe's vulnerability.

She noted that the ability to cut off Europe from a technology as wide-reaching as AI would represent unprecedented leverage, underscoring the urgency for a European AI strategy and investment.