An Accelerationist EU: Is The AI Race Worth Winning?

In Europe, the push for technological sovereignty is gaining momentum as the EU tries to reduce its reliance on US and Chinese tech companies and strengthen its own global position. But in its effort to compete, is Europe just adopting the same any-growth-at-any-cost mindset that’s driven so much of the industry's most harmful behavior?

More like this: Regulator or Accomplice? How New Laws May Support Old Ambitions

How can Europe gain independence from the US tech industry without embracing AI accelerationism as a central policy priority? In this episode, we bring together Audrey Gaughran, Lou Welgryn, and Max Schulze, who work at the intersection of data, climate, and AI across Europe, to explore the real costs of so-called tech sovereignty, the influence of accelerationism on European policy, and what a more sustainable vision for European leadership might look like.

This episode is part of a series produced in partnership with Luminate, highlighting how communities around the globe are confronting the consequences of the tech industry's promises of “progress” and building alternatives rooted in justice and real public benefit. Learn more and check out the live shows and other episodes here.

Further reading & resources:

• Centre for Research on Multinational Corporations (SOMO)
• Data for Good
• StopDirtyDataCentres.eu
• Leitmotiv

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Computer Says Maybe is produced by Kushal Dev, Marion Wellington, Zoe Trout, and Peter Price at Rethink Audio.