European Commission President von der Leyen announced at the Paris Artificial Intelligence Action Summit that the EU will invest 200 billion euros to develop artificial intelligence technology and strive to take the lead in the global AI competition. The huge investment includes €5 billion in new funds, as well as the previously promised €150 billion, aiming to build advanced AI infrastructure, cultivate top talents, promote the comprehensive development of Europe in the field of AI, and ultimately surpass the United States and China. The investment plan also faces criticism from the United States, with the U.S. vice president expressing concerns about the EU's AI regulatory policy.
At the Artificial Intelligence Action Summit held in Paris, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced that the EU will invest 200 billion euros (about 206 billion US dollars) to promote the development of artificial intelligence (AI) technology and strive to be with the United States Compete with China in this field. The investment will include €5 billion (about $5.1 billion) in new funds as a supplement to the €150 billion (about $154 billion) funding previously provided by the European Artificial Intelligence Champion Initiative.
"We want Europe to be the leading continent in global AI, which means we have to embrace a way of life where AI is everywhere," von der Leyen said. She further pointed out that although Europe is often heard behind in this race, In the United States and China, but she believes that the competition for artificial intelligence is far from over.
The 200 billion euro investment, known as the InvestAI program, aims to help build "gigabit factories" in Europe to train complex artificial intelligence models. The announcement coincides with the French President Macron saying on Monday that France will invest 109 billion euros (about $112 billion) in the development of artificial intelligence, calling it the equivalent of President Trump's $500 billion "Star Gate" ” Investment in AI data center projects.
These funds are invested to help the EU catch up with China and the United States in the construction of advanced artificial intelligence infrastructure, especially in the development of popular chatbot models such as ChatGPT and DeepSeek. The EU is the first region in the world to launch comprehensive AI regulation, and launched the AI bill last year.
However, U.S. Vice President JD Vance criticized the EU's regulatory environment at the meeting, calling it "authoritarian censorship" and warned that "overregulation of the artificial intelligence industry could kill this transformative industry." It is worth noting that the United States and the United Kingdom have not signed a statement from the Paris Artificial Intelligence Summit, which promises to ensure that artificial intelligence technology is "open, inclusive, transparent, ethical, safe and reliable".
"Artificial intelligence will improve our healthcare, promote our research and innovation, and enhance our competitiveness. We hope that artificial intelligence will become a force for development and positive change." She noted that the EU will Promote the progress of artificial intelligence through its unique approach - the development concept based on openness, cooperation and outstanding talents.
Key points:
The EU will invest 200 billion euros to enhance its competitiveness in the field of artificial intelligence.
The investment plan includes €5 billion in new funding to build a gigabit factory that trains complex AI models.
The U.S. vice president criticized the EU's regulatory policy, saying it could have a negative impact on the AI industry.
The EU's huge investment demonstrates its ambitions in the field of artificial intelligence, but also faces regulatory controversy from countries such as the United States. The final result of this global AI competition remains to be seen.