Press release

Europe, 14 September 2026: A coalition of Europe's most senior economists, former political leaders, and AI experts, among them Nobel laureate Philippe Aghion, former European Commissioner Margrethe Vestager and AI scientist Michiel Bakker, are warning that, without urgent and far-reaching action beginning this year, the prosperity, sovereignty, and security of all Europeans are at risk due to the developments in AI.

To enable Member States and the European Commission to act, the coalition of experts has published a landmark Transformative AI Strategy detailing how Europe can reach a position of strength, contribute to a safer transition to transformative AI, and ensure that its institutions can deliver on both. They were brought together by Monika Schnitzer, Chair of the German Council of Economic Experts, and Daniel Privitera, Executive Director at the KIRA Center, one of Europe’s leading AI think tanks.

The recommendations centre on Member States joining forces in an alliance for supply chain security, boosting the growth of infrastructure built on European soil, protecting Europe’s citizens from AI-enabled cyber or biological attacks or loss of control over AI systems, investing in tech that could help pace the frontier of AI, and ensure its institutions are agile enough to keep up with other global powers.

The strategy authors believe that, by adopting the recommendations, Europe can put itself on a path to thrive in an era of AI, but stress that the window of opportunity is closing fast as other countries around the globe, such as China and the US, continue steering the trajectory of transformative AI in conversations mostly held outside of Europe.

Margrethe Vestager, former Executive Vice-President of the European Commission, Commissioner for Competition, Deputy Prime Minister of Denmark, and one of the strategy's authors, commented:

“We cannot allow Europe to become a playground for foreign powers. Our citizens are already bearing the economic and social consequences of decisions taken elsewhere. AI will accelerate this development, transforming our personal lives and relations, learning and jobs at an unprecedented pace. If the value is created outside our borders, we will face these changes with fewer means to address them. This should concern us far more deeply than it currently does. We need to act.

“Across the Union, governments are either not taking AI seriously or are focusing on other priorities. The recommendations in this report are concrete and ready for immediate implementation. The Commission and Member States can act on them now. Nothing should stop us!”

With courage, Europe can thrive under transformative AI

Europe has the resources to thrive and contribute to global flourishing in a world with transformative AI, but the window for utilising its assets to these ends is closing fast. Europe has a large market, several crucial companies in the AI supply chain, such as the lithography leader ASML, stable institutions and strong technical talent.

However, as we increasingly approach a world where AI dominates, Europe’s assets will likely lose relative value, while reliable access to AI at the global frontier could become vastly more difficult. To avoid falling behind in critical domains like defence, cybersecurity or science, Europe will need to either secure access to foreign frontier AI or develop competitive frontier AI domestically. The strategy covers both approaches, yet because of the extremely high costs of a successful European frontier AI project, it focuses on access to the most globally advanced AI models.

This strategy offers a path for Europe to rise to the challenge of transformative AI. Navigating those developments well will be a challenge for the whole world, and Europe has an important role to play in it. Europe’s leaders today have the opportunity of a lifetime to lead Europe into the age of transformative AI intact, safe, and thriving.

Philippe Aghion, the French economist, Nobel Prize laureate, and also one of the authors of the strategy, commented:

“Europe is at acute risk of marginalization on the global stage because of the extraordinary developments in AI. We can either stay on a path that will leave the security and prosperity of Europeans vulnerable to decisions about AI taken by foreign companies and governments. Or European leaders rise to the challenge and find the courage to act decisively and immediately so that Europe turns things around and manages to thrive in a world transformed by AI.”

“From Washington to Beijing, every other major power is treating AI with the seriousness that it deserves. There can be no question that AI will drive the course of all our futures, whether in our public services or in the businesses we rely on for employment. This is why it’s not just critical but essential for the whole union to step up its efforts tenfold.”

Transformative AI Strategy recommendations:

Member States and the European Commission should pursue the following ‘immediate objectives’ with the highest urgency.