EU's Tech Security Nominee Outlines Plans to Boost AI Use and Battlefield Technology

EU's Push for AI and Tech Sovereignty

Henna Virkkunen, Europe's nominated head of tech sovereignty and security, has outlined ambitious plans to boost the European Union's use of artificial intelligence and "disruptive" technology. In written responses to European Parliament questions, Virkkunen proposed an AI and Cloud Development Act to address the EU's growing "productivity gap" with China and the United States 1

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The proposed act aims to develop energy-efficient technology, prioritize large-scale "first-of-a-kind" investments, set new standards for the Single Market, and enhance security of supply and cybersecurity. Virkkunen highlighted the current lag in AI adoption among EU businesses, stating, "Only 8% of EU businesses use AI, only 33% of our companies use cloud, and the data centre footprint in Europe is one third of that in the US" 1

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AI Initiatives and Battlefield Technology

Virkkunen's plans include an "AI Factories Initiative" to give startups access to high-performance computers within 100 days of taking office 4

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. She also emphasized the need to fund and scale up "disruptive" technologies for both civilian and military purposes, noting that "Small deep tech companies can bring real disruptive effect to the battlefield, but they remain underfunded" 1

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The Commission has included a Defence Commissioner role for the first time, aiming to build up military manufacturing capacity near the EU's eastern border, in light of Russia's war in Ukraine 1

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Child Protection and Social Media Regulation

Virkkunen identified the protection of minors as a top priority, pledging to tackle the addictive quality of social media apps that harm children and adolescents. She stated, "The recently opened investigations against TikTok, X, Facebook and Instagram on addictive design, dark patterns and protection of minors need to be vigorously pursued" 1

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The European Commission has already opened an in-depth investigation into Facebook and Instagram over child safety concerns 1

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. Virkkunen plans to work on guidelines for the protection of minors under the Digital Services Act (DSA) by mid-2025 and explore the introduction of a privacy-preserving age verification system 4

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Collaboration and Future Steps

Virkkunen will collaborate with other incoming commissioners, including Ekaterina Zaharieva (Startups, Research and Innovation) and Magnus Brunner (Home Affairs and Migration), on various aspects of AI development and deployment 4

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. The European Parliament will hold hearings for the next Commission team in November to discuss their new roles and any potential conflicts of interest 1

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As the EU strives to become an "AI continent," these initiatives aim to bridge the gap with global competitors while addressing crucial issues such as child safety, military technology, and economic growth through AI adoption.