EU plans €1 billion ‘Apply AI’ drive to cut reliance on US, China tech

Brussels is poised to unveil an ambitious “Apply AI” strategy designed to reduce the European Union’s reliance on artificial intelligence technologies provided by the US and China, the Financial Times reported, citing a draft proposal.

The strategy centers on promoting European-made AI platforms, highlighting sectors such as healthcare, defense, and manufacturing, in a bid to strengthen industrial competitiveness and digital sovereignty across the bloc.

In public administration and strategic industries, Brussels intends to accelerate the deployment of scalable generative AI solutions, a move expected to set European standards and reduce exposure to foreign AI infrastructure.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has emphasized the urgency of AI adoption, declaring that the EU must “speed up AI adoption across the board” to maintain relevance in the rapidly evolving technology ecosystem, the FT reported.

The proposal warned that Europe’s dependence on foreign AI infrastructure, dominated by US and Chinese firms, exposes it to risks of weaponization or coercion by state and non-state actors. To counter this, sovereign AI models would be developed for sensitive sectors such as space and defense.

Consistent with the EU’s AI Act, which sets out risk-based rules for development and deployment, the new strategy would mobilize €1 billion from existing funds to stimulate the innovation and adoption of homegrown solutions.

The strategy arrives amid heightened geopolitical concerns over digital sovereignty and strategic dependence. As Europe seeks to assert its autonomy in key technologies, reducing reliance on foreign AI providers is seen as critical to safeguarding supply chains and national security.

EU tech commissioner Henna Virkkunen is expected to formally present the plan in the coming days, following its draft circulation.