For a man who\u2019s spent his career battling to make France more pro-business, Europe\u2019s prospects on artificial intelligence are worrying: an oversight that could cost the bloc dearly. <\/p>\n
\u201cWe need an AI agenda,\u201d he said, \u201cbecause we have to bridge the gap with the United States and China on AI.\u201d The French leader added that he fears Europe becoming merely an AI consumer, losing control over the future direction and development of the technology. <\/p>\n
That\u2019s part of the impetus behind this week\u2019s AI summit in Paris \u2014 the latest effort by Macron to put France at the heart of the debate and decision-making on international questions of the day. <\/p>\n
Macron regularly touts the prospects of Paris-based company Mistral, widely considered OpenAI\u2019s European competitor, which launched a new app on Thursday. <\/p>\n
The company boasts of its ability to rival its US competitors, by getting the same results with less computing power needed, although the surprise arrival of lower-cost Chinese competitor DeepSeek has put pressure on the French firm. <\/p>\n
With its nuclear-heavy energy portfolio making France a net energy exporter, the country is in an enviable position for the creation of power-ravenous data centers. <\/p>\n
France is set to unveil what its government boasts is Europe\u2019s largest supercomputer by fall 2025, outside Paris. <\/p>\n
The Mont Valerien site will be a military facility, bringing AI capabilities at scale to help solve design and engineering questions, like the architecture of France\u2019s next aircraft carriers. AI will also be used to improve future military technologies and practices, like anti-drone jamming, according to the French Ministry of Defense. <\/p>\n
That\u2019s the exception. With Europe holding a mere 3-5% of global computing power, Macron said he hopes this surplus power will open doors to Europe\u2019s AI future. He has his sights on building 20% of the world\u2019s data centers. <\/p>\n
But financing \u2014 especially from the United States and the Gulf Arab states \u2014 will be key, according to Macron. <\/p>\n
It\u2019s where Europe \u201cmust do much better,\u201d Macron said. <\/p>\n
Finding cash within the continent could be an unwitting boon if President Donald Trump\u2019s tariff threats against European allies come to a head. <\/p>\n
\u201cFrom the standpoint of America, the\u202fEU\u202ftreats us very, very unfairly, very badly,\u201d Trump told the World Economic Forum in January, later threatening to levy tariffs against the bloc after slapping \u2014 and then rescinding \u2014 stiff import taxes on Canada and Mexico. <\/p>\n
Trump\u2019s 10% across-the-board tariffs on China still went into effect, and the president said he will announce new so-called reciprocal tariffs next week that could hit all corners of the world. <\/p>\n
Trump has railed against the US trade deficit with the European Union, which increased by $26.9 billion to $235.6 billion in 2024, according to US government figures. <\/p>\n
Macron pushed back against this, arguing the trade deficit ignores Europe\u2019s significant spending on digital services, which is often excluded from such calculations. <\/p>\n
In response to potential tariffs, Macron said Europe must look to protect producers against American and Chinese competition and, crucially, ease regulation on investments to stem the \u201cleaking\u201d of European savings to the United States. EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen mirrored that resolute stance last week. <\/p>\n
\u201cI will fight for AI,\u201d he said, calling for a business environment that makes Europe more competitive. \u201cI will fight for more defence and security answers as Europeans. And I will fight for the maximum level of ambition on all these issues.\u201d <\/p>\n
February and March will bring announcements and a roadmap of reforms around AI startup regulations, Macron said, in an effort to rival the United States and China\u2019s AI agenda. <\/p>\n
\u201cWe have to focus on killing some crazy regulations, simplification of the current environment,\u201d Macron said. \u201cEurope has to simplify its rules, make it much more business friendly and synchronize with the United States.\u201d <\/p>\n
He hopes, for AI at least, this week\u2019s summit will be a \u201cwake up call\u201d for Europe. <\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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