European AI firms reject US calls to slow development, citing competitive risks

Mistral AI stated that some incumbents are pushing for regulations that favor them over competitors, noting that the risks of AI have been clear for months. Raphael Auphan, chief operating officer of Swiss privacy software company Proton, echoed this sentiment, calling the moves "totally self-serving." Ben Brooks, head of public policy at German AI startup Black Forest Labs, warned that enforcing gaps between large labs and new entrants could stifle open innovation.

Clement Delangue, CEO of Hugging Face, advocated for acceleration rather than a slowdown, though he endorsed Amodei's proposal for independent evaluators within AI companies. European policymakers, including European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, emphasized the EU's regulatory framework for AI. French finance minister Roland Lescure explicitly stated that the calls to slow down were driven by self-interest to maintain a competitive lead. Germany's digital affairs ministry and Daniel Abbou, head of Germany's AI industry association, stressed the importance of Europe closing its technological gap and pursuing digital sovereignty rather than halting development.