Brussels Tech

• The European Commission has launched a new technological sovereignty package to shift the continent's digital strategy toward greater independence. • The Cloud and AI Development Act aims to triple Europe's data center capacity within five to seven years while accelerating AI adoption. • Brussels is integrating open-source solutions to ensure digital tools in cybersecurity, semiconductors, and internet technologies remain auditable and interoperable.

• The European Commission has introduced a new digital sovereignty package aimed at reducing the EU's dependence on large global technology companies. • The initiative shifts focus from mere regulation toward an industrial policy, featuring a Cloud and AI Development Act, a Chips Act 2.0, and a new open-source strategy. • These measures are designed to strengthen European technology capacity, specifically within critical infrastructure and public procurement processes.

• The EU's Energy Commissioner, Dan Jørgensen, is urging Big Tech to adopt sustainable AI practices. • Energy-hungry data centers must support the EU's shift to carbon-free power, according to Jørgensen. • This push for sustainability is part of the EU's broader efforts to reduce carbon emissions and meet climate goals.

• European Union officials are warning Big Tech companies to implement sustainable AI practices or face potential regulatory restrictions. • The urgency is highlighted by Ireland, where data centers now consume over 20% of the nation's total electricity, the highest share per capita in the region. • This energy crisis underscores the environmental strain caused by the massive computing power required for AI, threatening EU climate goals.