European AI Conference Highlights Concerns Over Control and Sovereignty
At the TechBBQ conference in Copenhagen, European investors, entrepreneurs, and operators focused on who should control artificial intelligence rather than just what it can do. The theme of 'Emerging from Agency' reflected growing concerns over sovereignty after Anthropic's AI models became unavailable outside Europe earlier this year. This event sparked discussions about owning AI infrastructure instead of relying on U.S.- or China-based providers. Participants debated the implications for privacy, economic control, and societal participation as AI agents become more integrated into daily life. Signal President Meredith Whittaker warned against embedding AI assistants in operating systems due to data collection risks, while Stability AI's Emad Mostaque highlighted how concentrated power among a few labs could influence national governance. Despite the serious discussions on privacy and control, attendees also engaged in lighter conversations at social events hosted by companies like Nvidia, OpenAI, AWS Startups, HSBC, and others.
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Topics: Artificial Intelligence Europe-US-China Relations Startup Ecosystem Tech Sovereignty