Lagarde urges Europe to develop its own AI technology
European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde said Europe should develop domestic artificial-intelligence models and build more data centres. She said relying on technology from the United States or China could give trading partners leverage in negotiations, while European systems capable of handling most tasks would reduce the force of any threat to cut off access.
European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde said Europe needed to develop its own artificial-intelligence technology and build more data centres.
Lagarde said Europe needed AI models that were “good enough” to carry out most tasks and operate from domestic data centres.
She said greater investment in European AI technology would reduce the force of a threat to cut off access to systems supplied by the United States or China. She also said dependence on foreign AI could give trading partners unprecedented leverage in negotiations.
THE QUESTIONS THIS EVENT LEAVES BEHIND
What level of investment would Europe need to develop and operate domestic AI models at scale?
Which European institutions or companies would control access to the proposed domestic AI infrastructure?
What conditions would determine whether European AI models could handle most tasks effectively?
How might building more data centres affect Europe’s energy use and infrastructure needs?
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GLOBAL CURIOSITY MAP · AUGUST 2026