Uneven rollout of three AI products across Europe could push the continent’s next wave of tech hiring and investment overseas, according to Brickken CEO Edwin Mata.
His warning lands as European regulators race to balance AI oversight with economic competitiveness. The EU recently extended compliance deadlines and expanded support for smaller firms. Yet access gaps for tools like OpenAI’s Dots, Meta’s Mutilize, and Siri AI remain a live concern for founders planning where to scale.
Mata argues that companies don’t need to relocate entirely for Europe to lose out. Hiring engineers abroad, opening sales offices near investors, or launching products in friendlier markets can gradually shift activity outside the region. “Europe can therefore retain the original company while losing much of its future hiring, investment and value creation,” he said.
The Barcelona-based tokenization executive frames AI access as one factor among many, including funding, taxes, and recruitment conditions. But he cautions against letting it become a structural disadvantage. Teams that test products earlier automate more work, attract investors, and win customers while rivals wait. That lead compounds over time.
Meanwhile, Austria has proposed EU participation in Anthropic to reduce dependence on foreign technology decisions. State Secretary Alexander Proell urged the bloc to consider a strategic stake, citing legal certainty and market access as bargaining chips.
Mata sees broader implications. For manufacturers, AI agents connected to inventory and supplier data could flag component shortages before production halts. Farms could coordinate weather forecasts with buyer orders. Software teams could investigate complaints and prepare code fixes for human review.
As a result, delayed access isn’t just about productivity. It shapes where skilled workers migrate and where capital flows next. With EU compliance deadlines now stretching into 2027 and 2028, the question is whether regulatory breathing room arrives fast enough to keep Europe’s AI talent from looking elsewhere.
