EU leaders gathered in Dublin on Friday to discuss accelerating efforts in artificial intelligence and enhancing the competitiveness of this technology. However, 16 capitals have fallen behind the deadline for appointing national officials to implement the AI safety law of this bloc. Brussels has also refrained from supporting the establishment of data centers due to national administrative delays.
Concerns About AI Safety
Sergei Lagodinsky, a Member of the European Parliament and a member of the Greens party in Germany, stated that the delays undermine the credibility of capitals regarding Europe's AI goals. He said, "If you don't meet deadlines yourself, you shouldn't blame the EU for falling behind in competition." He also called for formal action from the European Commission against countries that have failed to meet their legal obligations under the AI law.
Read more: Protesters Attack Microsoft Data Center in Amsterdam
Safety has become an increasingly pressing issue for EU leaders, especially following a series of AI-related incidents last summer and recent cyberattacks that have raised warnings about potential dangers to humanity. Brussels has repeatedly emphasized that the AI law was created as a key regulation to protect against these threats.
Delays in Infrastructure Development
With the deadline for appointing national executive officials set for August 2025, six countries, including Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Slovakia, and Hungary, have yet to select their officials. Meanwhile, 10 other capitals have only made temporary decisions that still require approval.
Antonio Costa, President of the European Council, stated in a letter sent to the meeting on Friday that one of the key topics of this session would be reducing Europe's dependence on the United States and China in AI-related technologies. However, the EU has also exacerbated delays in building the necessary infrastructure for competition and has postponed plans to support seven AI computing centers across Europe.
The department responsible for this €30 billion project announced at the end of October that the deadline for consortia to express interest in building these centers, which include large data center projects, would be extended. The stated reason for this delay was "to give member states the necessary time to complete the national budgeting process and provide financial commitments."
This delay marks the second consecutive time it has occurred, with the initial deadline of November pushed to February. Jan Kavaliarak, who worked last year as the AI representative for the Czech government and is involved in the Czech effort for this project, wrote on LinkedIn: "It seems that some documents were not submitted on time" and added: "I think it is very important that we maintain the timeline and conditions that were initially presented."
