French Technology Mogul Xavier Niel warns that Europe will be reduced to a ‘abandoned’ continent if missing this key opportunity
If there is anything in the world of technology, it is probably that Xavier Niel has caught the wind. The space with the hackers has a widespread telecommunications empire, sits on the five -member Committee of Tiktok Parent Bytetlance and is the main champion of the startup, counting the French dear Mistral AI among its investments.
The billionaire has been careful about technological development during his career. But he also witnessed Europe sliding behind the USA -ai China in innovation.
Europe has produced some promising startups in the midst of generative Ai anger, such as Mistral Ai and Aleph Alpha. However, the region will have to do a lot more to keep up with the global AI race.
Niel warns that Europe has a real shot by showing its promise and creativity on the AI front. But if he missed the boat, he could stop being relevant.
“If Europe does not do this right, they will become a very small continent abandoned several generations,” he told to Financial Times In an interview published in November.
What distinguishes European startups of AI are their “values”, such as privacy and transparency, Niel said. It’s also generation Engineering and talent aimed at mathematics at its universities, which could give the region an advantage-how quickly it moves and breaks things, as he says.
“Of course, the world is moving faster now; the resources are bigger. But there will always be two smart children somewhere in the world, working from a garage, with a technological vision or a new idea,” Niel said.
French Mogul, which is estimated to be worth $ 8.7 billion according to the Bloomberg Biliana Index, is located in the center of AI development. His optimism in the European AI skill led him to the development of the world’s largest incubator for startup in Paris, Station F. also has Coinved $ 300 million In a non -profit research laboratory AI together with Eric Schmidt and Rodolphe Saadé.
Still, it worries that if Europe fails to drive AI wave, it will be reduced to “the most beautiful place in the world for museums,” Niel said Wired in September. He compared the current Ai moment when the search engines became the main ones. Today, they are largely managed by American players, such as Google and Microsoft Bing.
“If you want to create a search engine now, you can’t win because you weren’t there 25 years ago,” he said.
Other experts are also concerned about Europe behind and how can affect The prospects for the safety and defense of the region compared to the rest of the world.
What Niel considers one of the power of Europe has also led to perception that AI regulates too sharply, pushing competitors from its market. The European Union has adopted the first such draft rules of AI, which some consider it revolutionary, while others think it is restrictive.
IN a detailed report In Europe’s competitiveness, former ECB President Mario Draghi pointed out that AI can open new opportunities if it is properly distributed.
Meanwhile, the executive director of German technology SAP Christian Klein said excessive regulation Risk of posture European startups back. Liquette Meta Mark Zuckerberg and Spotify’s Daniel ek have issued an open letter in September Repeating similar concerns, urging Europe to repair his “fragmented and inconsistent” AI regulations.
Companies on the list of Fortune 500 Europe, which is the highest region in the region on revenues slowly but surely integrate the AI into advanced applications. Ultimately, the European Strategy for Solving Challenges could determine if it was a winner or a loser.
“Simply put, there is a harder to develop, start or use technology in Europe than anywhere else in the world. To stay in the global race, the EU requires a new approach: relieving the risk of new technology, at the same time allows for innovation,” Google President Eme Matt Brittin said Wealth in October.
Version of this story originally published on Fortune.com November 18, 2024.
This story is originally shown on Fortune.com
