The European Union will restrict AI chip collaboration to only its most dependable allies, according to a top official speaking at Web Summit in Lisbon. Henna Virkkunen, the European Commission’s Executive Vice-President for Tech Sovereignty, drew a firm line around which nations can participate in semiconductor partnerships.
Her remarks arrive as Europe confronts an uncomfortable reality: the bloc depends heavily on American firms for advanced AI processors. Virkkunen acknowledged that Europe currently lacks the domestic capacity to design and produce these chips at scale. The European Chips Act represents the EU’s attempt to close that gap, though progress remains slow.
Speaking with Politico, Virkkunen identified AI semiconductors, quantum computing, cybersecurity, and satellites as critical technologies requiring special protection. She stressed the need to prevent technology leaks and safeguard trade secrets within European borders.
When pressed on which countries qualify as trusted partners, she named the United States as the EU’s closest traditional ally on security and technology matters. Meanwhile, questions about Nvidia’s reliability went unanswered. The chip giant recently launched an internal probe into whether its CEO, Jensen Huang, became a target of Chinese intelligence. Huang admitted to a personal relationship with the head of Megaspeed, a Singapore data center company whose leader US authorities suspect of espionage. Nvidia offered no immediate response to Politico’s inquiries.
The EU’s cautious approach signals a broader shift in how Western governments handle advanced technology supply chains. As a result, European leaders now prioritize security vetting over speed when evaluating semiconductor partnerships. The coming months will reveal whether the bloc can convert its Chips Act ambitions into tangible manufacturing capacity. For now, trust remains the operative word in Europe’s AI strategy.
