As the new European Commission places competitiveness at the heart of its agenda, artificial intelligence (AI) emerges as a game-changer for driving business productivity and innovation. Yet, only 8% of European businesses have adopted AI and European investments in the area lag behind the ones in the U.S. by ten times. How can Europe close this gap, empower its businesses and thrive in an increasingly complex global landscape?
To tackle this pressing question and more, the Lisbon Council convened “Carpe Diem: How to Ensure European Companies Grasp the AI Opportunity,” a high-level roundtable bringing together thought leaders for an engaging dialogue. The session explored how Europe can accelerate the adoption of AI, strengthen its global position and design a regulatory framework that balances safety with innovation and sovereignty with productivity.
David Abecassis, partner at Analysys Mason, opened the conversation with fresh data and compelling insights on how companies use AI and what are the bottlenecks. Sandro Gozi, member of the European Parliament and secretary general of the European Democratic Party, emphasised the importance of simplified rules, cross-sector collaboration and a European data market to pave the way for the successful and responsible deployment of AI. High-level participants also included Carolina Brånby, director for digital policy, Confederation of Swedish Enterprise and representative of the Europe Unlocked Initiative; Victoria de Posson, secretary general, European Tech Alliance; Liviu Stirbat, head of unit, directorate general for research and development, European Commission; Hugo Weber, vice-president for corporate affairs and impact, Mirakl; Leena Whittaker, director for competitiveness, EuroCommerce; and Katinka Worsøe, digital affairs attaché, Permanent Representation of Denmark to the European Union.