Microsoft is increasingly looking to Europe as a core region for its artificial intelligence strategy, its chief executive said on Monday. Satya Nadella said on the "Executive Face to Face" podcast: "We are investing capital in risky investments in Germany and across the EU."
He added: "These are not artificial intelligence factories or cloud computing centers located in the United States, but physical facilities located in continental Europe and various European countries."
In the interview, Nadella emphasized that digital sovereignty is a key consideration for any country.
“I think sovereignty issues are crucial whether at the EU level or at the level of individual countries like Germany,” he said. “Therefore, every country wants to ensure the continuity of supply and the ability to resist risks, while having the initiative to operate autonomously. This is also one of the important reasons why we have made these investment commitments.”
Nadella pointed out that true digital sovereignty goes far beyond infrastructure construction. "The new chapter of digital sovereignty lies in... taking German car manufacturers or German industrial enterprises as an example, how can they create their own artificial intelligence base and basic model? In my opinion, this is the true meaning of digital sovereignty."
Nadella said: "Whether it is artificial intelligence systems, cutting-edge models, or various artificial intelligence products around the world, the United States has always maintained a lead. This is not only due to the innovative talent of the U.S. technology industry, but also because the U.S. technology system is the most trusted technology architecture in the world."
Nadella believes that if Europe can focus on promoting the practical application and widespread popularization of artificial intelligence technology in various industries, it is expected to become one of the biggest winners in the global artificial intelligence field.
He said: "Frankly speaking, the countries that can stand out in this competition in the future will definitely be those that can promote the application of artificial intelligence on a large scale, widely apply it to economic development, medical health, manufacturing, education and other fields, and use this to promote economic growth."
He further added: "As long as Germany and even Europe as a whole take concrete actions, actively introduce relevant technologies, reshape talent skills and make full use of these technologies, they will be fully capable of becoming the biggest winner in this field."