French President Emmanuel Macron has sounded alarm over Europe’s lagging position in the global artificial intelligence race, saying the continent risks becoming a mere consumer rather than a leader in AI development.
“We are not in the race today. We are lagging behind,” Macron said in an exclusive interview with CNN. He emphasized the need for a comprehensive AI strategy to bridge the gap with the United States and China, both of whom dominate the sector.
Macron’s comments align with an AI summit in Paris, where France is trying to take the top spot in worldwide AI debates. He pointed to Paris-based Mistral as an exciting European contender to OpenAI, but added pressure comes from China’s DeepSeek.
One major hurdle is computing power. While France, a net energy exporter, is set to unveil Europe’s largest supercomputer by fall 2025, Europe overall holds only 3-5% of the world’s computing capacity. Macron aims to increase this share to 20%, but acknowledges that securing investment particularly from the US and Gulf states will be crucial.
During a period of increasing trade tensions with Washington, Macron resisted US tariff threats, arguing that Europe’s contribution to digital services is overlooked. He called for measures to protect European industries from American and Chinese competition while easing regulations to prevent capital outflows.
Macron promised to fight for AI innovation, defense, and economic competitiveness. In the coming months, he intends to introduce reforms geared toward simplifying regulations for AI startups, thus making Europe more business-friendly. He hopes this week’s AI summit serves as a “wake-up call” for the continent to step up its efforts in the global AI race.
