EU leaders to discuss AI policy this autumn as US and China push ahead

In short: European leaders are planning an AI discussion this autumn, and a new Financial Times opinion piece argues the EU needs a clearer, stronger plan.

What happened

European Council president António Costa is scheduling a discussion among European heads of state about artificial intelligence, or AI (computer systems that can create text, images, and decisions), for this autumn.

In an opinion column, Marietje Schaake, a fellow at Stanford University, says the EU is still debating its overall direction on AI. She argues that the US and China treat AI as a top national priority, including for security and geopolitical influence.

Schaake warns that Europe risks becoming dependent on foreign AI tools and platforms. She says this can turn into a security issue, because decisions made by foreign companies and governments could affect Europe’s ability to respond to cyber incidents (digital attacks, like break-ins to computer networks) and other crises.

The column calls for more coordination across EU countries. Suggested steps include setting up task forces, hiring more AI experts into government roles, and creating national AI security institutes. It also argues for investment in “compute,” meaning the powerful computers and data centers that run AI (like building more of your own power tools instead of borrowing them).

Why it matters

If the EU relies heavily on AI systems built and controlled elsewhere, European governments, businesses, and public services could have fewer options during conflicts, outages, or policy disputes. The autumn meeting could shape whether Europe builds more of its own AI capacity or continues to lean on systems designed and governed outside the EU.

Source: Financial Times