EU tech chief says Europe 'not a security risk' after US AI order

Europe does not pose a “security risk” to the United States, EU tech chief Henna Virkkunen said Monday after Anthropic cut access to two powerful AI models to comply with a US national security order. "Europe represents an economic opportunity, not a security risk. We are and will remain a trusted partner," the commissioner for tech sovereignty, security and democracy said on social media. "This is why we need to cooperate on emerging, powerful AI models. This is a shared global challenge," Virkkunen said. San Francisco-based Anthropic said Friday that the US Department of Commerce had ordered it to suspend its Mythos 5 and Fable 5 models for "national security" reasons. The commission said at the weekend that it was assessing the practical consequences for European users, while also warning that "contingency measures" to address the risks of advanced AI models "should not be discriminatory against partners". Virkkunen said the U.S. dispute "underlines the need for Europe's technological sovereignty", urging the "swift adoption" of a package of measures aimed at reducing EU dependence on American and Asian technology. The measures presented earlier this month include moves to favour European companies in the most sensitive public contracts for cloud computing and AI. They will become law only after the European Parliament and EU member states negotiate on the final texts. There is a growing consensus in Europe that it must be more sovereign and provide more of its technological needs, rather than relying on foreign firms. The EU says companies outside the bloc provide over 80% of its digital products, services, infrastructure and intellectual property.