On Wednesday, an international summit on artificial intelligence (AI) was held in Dublin. The European Union is seeking to close the gap with the US and China, but at the same time does not want to repeat the mistakes that have already become apparent in Ireland - one of the first countries to bet on AI and data centers.
The EU insists on strict regulation to limit risks, but at the same time believes that it is necessary to invest in the technology and use its potential. "We need to make AI real for our competitiveness and industry," EU technology commissioner Henna Virkkunen said at the conference. Google DeepMind chairman Demis Hassabis and Microsoft president Brad Smith took part in the summit.
According to EU data, last year about 20% of companies in the bloc's 27 countries used AI, and among the largest enterprises - 55%. Brussels wants these figures to grow. However, research shows that most are still using AI for relatively simple tasks.
Europe has about 5% of the world's data center capacity, while the US accounts for about 75% and China for around 15%, said Andrea Renda, director of research at the CEPS think tank. To increase capacity, the EU is investing billions of euros in so-called "gigafactories" - complexes of advanced AI processors and energy-efficient data centers for companies and laboratories.
But that may not be enough. "If you only build data centers, you have done little," Renda told AFP, calling for "political leadership" to identify obstacles and incentives for transformation. The EU says it is working on several tracks: it is mobilizing funds from existing programs and has appointed a Siemens top manager to be responsible for the "Apply AI" strategy, which should encourage manufacturers to adopt the technology. However, according to Renda, this strategy has a "zero" dedicated budget, and without "bold interventions" the goal will not be achieved.
Ireland, where many American technology giants are already located due to low taxes and a convenient location, wants to help Europe. "We have been at the forefront of every technology wave in recent decades and we will be at the forefront of this one," Irish Prime Minister Micheal Martin said.
However, the Irish approach also has a downside. Heavy dependence on American companies conflicts with the EU's pursuit of sovereignty, and the rapid growth of data centers creates a burden on infrastructure, especially power grids, which causes discontent among local residents. According to Ireland's Central Statistics Office, last year data centers consumed 23% of the country's electricity - as much as all Irish households combined. "This is a world record," noted researcher Patrick Bresnihan of Maynooth University.
At a "counter-summit" held a few days before the meeting, he said that data centers had provided jobs for only 3,300 people. "It is in Ireland, I would say, that a moratorium is needed. Data center development needs to be paused," he said, to give policymakers time to think about a "more progressive green industrial strategy."
Neil Bennett, a former tech worker who came to the protest, urged Irish leaders to "acknowledge the impact of AI on workers in Ireland." A former translator, he lost his job because of the technology, then moved "to the dark side" as a data operator, but soon his new position was also replaced by AI.