The European Commission has announced a €10 billion AI Sovereignty Fund, the largest public AI investment in European history, aimed at closing the gap with the United States and China.
The fund will support development of European large language models, AI infrastructure, and AI talent retention. A key goal is to prevent the 'AI brain drain' that has seen top European researchers recruited by US companies.
The announcement follows growing concern that Europe risks becoming a consumer of American and Chinese AI rather than a producer. Currently, only 6% of global AI investment originates in the EU.
Critics argue that €10 billion is insufficient. The combined AI investment of US tech companies in 2026 alone exceeds $300 billion.