EU tech chief warns of reliance on US companies

Source: Free Malaysia Today
Published on: 2026-06-11 21:57

Henna Virkkunen says Europe is focused on building its own capacity and investing in training AI in 'our languages, in our content, our values'. RIO DE JANEIRO: Europe's technology chief warned Thursday about the risks of relying too heavily on US tech companies in sensitive areas such as cybersecurity and defense. EU tech sovereignty chief Henna Virkkunen was speaking in Brazil at Web Summit Rio -- the Americas' largest tech summit, which draws over 40,000 participants. She said a push for European digital sovereignty did not imply protectionism or isolationism. "The situation currently is that 80 percent of our technologies they are coming from outside of Europe" like artificial intelligence, she told a group of journalists on the sidelines of the summit. "So we don't want to be dependent only on third countries, only on USA companies," for critical technology. She said that was ...

(Please login to view full article)

Third-Party Content Disclaimer

Content displayed on this platform may include news articles, reports, and other materials aggregated from publicly available third-party sources through automated tools. Such content is not created, written, commissioned, or edited by Straits Interactive Pte Ltd or the Data Protection Excellence (DPEX) Network.

While we take reasonable steps to ensure responsible publication, we do not independently verify all third-party information and make no representations as to its accuracy, completeness, or reliability.

The views, findings, and statements expressed in third-party content belong solely to the original source and do not reflect the views of Straits Interactive Pte Ltd or the DPEX Network.

If you believe any content is inaccurate, infringing, or should be removed, please contact us at legal@straitsinteractive.com. We will review the matter and, where appropriate, take action in accordance with our internal policies.

Unlock these benefits
globe

Get access to news, enforcement cases, events, and actionable tips and guides

email

Get regular email updates and offers

job

Job opportunities, mentorship and career guidance

discuss

Exclusive access to Data Protection community - ask questions, network and share knowledge with peers and experts via WhatsApp and Linkedin