Machine politics: Europe and the AI revolution

France, Germany, and Italy plan to adopt national and European goals on AI, albeit for different reasons. France’s AI strategy appears to be driven by the conviction that, in addition to creating risks, AI presents opportunities for the economy and society. In contrast, the German – and, to the extent that one can infer, Italian – approach to AI is markedly driven by fear of losing economic opportunities. While the French strategy includes a focus on the military and security elements of AI, its German counterpart almost completely neglects this area. The EU appears to be largely uninterested in AI’s geopolitical importance, but its member states can only influence the global development of AI if they act together.