Europe’s AI Opportunity: From Regulation to Execution

You don’t have to be America or China to win in AI, says Rishi Sunak https://www.economist.com/by-invitation/2025/07/16/you-dont-have-to-be-america-or-china-to-win-in-ai-says-rishi-sunak From The Economist “As work by Jeffrey Ding of George Washington University shows, the countries that benefit most from these technologies are not necessarily the ones that develop them first, but the ones that adopt them most widely.” I couldn’t agree more with Rishi Sunak’s vision. In this new AI-driven world, the winners will not simply be the inventors — they will be those who adapt fastest and integrate the technology most effectively. It is, in many ways, a 21st-century version of Darwinism. Not survival of the strongest, but again the survival of the most adaptable. Those who integrate this new paradigm into their day-to-day lives — individuals, companies, and nations — will be the ones who succeed. And in this context, Europe has a real opportunity to position itself far more strongly in the emerging global order than many assume. I am often reminded of a quote from a McKinsey presentation on AI implementation in the corporate world: “For every dollar you spend on technology, you should spend five on change management.” Technology alone is not transformation. Adoption is. Culture is. Leadership is. There are rare moments in history that fundamentally reshape the next 50 years. We are living through one of them. Building on the path outlined by Sunak, Europe should focus above all on implementation. Regulation matters — but it must remain a support function, not the driving force. If the legal and regulatory mindset becomes the primary lens through which we approach AI in Europe, we risk missing a historic opportunity. This is not just about competitiveness. It is about rebalancing global power, strengthening Europe’s voice, and increasing the wellbeing of all Europeans. Being proud that our regulation sets the benchmark is not enough if, at the same time, we inadvertently limit our own capacity to innovate and scale. The time to think strategically is now. Let’s not waste it. (text revised by a llm)

- Pedro

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