The European Union's artificial intelligence adoption is lagging behind China due to regulatory hurdles, according to Kent Walker, Google's President of Global Affairs. Walker emphasized that the EU's complex and conflicting rules are deterring investment and innovation in AI. Since 2019, over 100 new EU regulations have targeted the digital economy, resulting in more than 60% of Europe's businesses citing regulation as their biggest obstacle to investment.
Walker proposed a three-part strategy to reclaim the EU's AI footing: laying a foundation of smart policy, building out adoption through workforce skilling, and scaling up to support widespread innovation. An aligned regulatory framework would apply existing regulations where appropriate and harmonize international standards, allowing providers to offer their best and latest AI models to EU citizens and companies.
The EU's AI adoption deficit is concerning, with estimates suggesting that up to 83% of Chinese companies are already using generative AI, compared to around 14% in Europe. Walker highlighted the need for a smarter regulatory approach that focuses on real-world effects of AI and oversees outputs, not inputs, to manage risks and consequences.
Google remains committed to Europe, with 30,000 employees and large infrastructure investments. The company is working to build trust in AI adoption by providing EU customers with full control over their data through partnerships with leaders like Thales in France and Schwarz Group in Germany.
