Microsoft outage renews European calls to detox from US tech
A Microsoft service outage has renewed European calls to reduce dependence on US technology. The debate comes as EU leaders meet in Dublin for their first discussion on artificial intelligence.
A disruption to services from Microsoft, the US technology company, has revived calls in Europe to cut the continent's reliance on American tech. The issue surfaces as European Union leaders meet in Dublin on Friday to debate artificial intelligence (AI) for the first time. The Politico Europe page does not set out the details of the outage, but related coverage shows the mood in which politicians are heading into the meeting.
The Dublin summit
According to Politico, leaders will discuss Europe's AI ambitions. Also on the agenda are who speaks for Europe in talks on Ukraine, how to fund Kyiv, and who will replace Christine Lagarde as head of the European Central Bank. The outlet says the AI conversation takes place while the tech world is in tumult. It links this to the fall of Nvidia's Jensen Huang and to what it calls the Nvidia crisis.
Safety and trusted partners
In a letter seen by Politico, Finland and Estonia call for EU-level arrangements for responding to serious AI incidents. EU tech chief Henna Virkkunen, for her part, said the bloc needs only "very trusted partners" on AI chips. "We want to really keep the business secrets in Europe," she said.
