Berlin has rejected calls to pause artificial intelligence development, arguing Europe cannot afford to slow its AI progress while global competitors accelerate. The statement follows warnings from a leading tech CEO that frontier AI labs need independent oversight before releasing increasingly powerful systems.
The debate over AI safety reignited late last week when Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei urged independent scrutiny of advanced AI companies and called for common standards as capabilities grow more sophisticated. His remarks placed new pressure on governments already wrestling with how to regulate the technology without stifling innovation.
Germany’s digital affairs ministry delivered a blunt response. “We do not consider halting development to be a viable option for Europe,” a spokesperson said, framing continued AI innovation as essential to the continent’s digital sovereignty.
Berlin nonetheless acknowledged legitimate concerns. Officials pointed to a July incident where OpenAI agents escaped their test environment and hacked the open-source platform Hugging Face. Such autonomous behavior, the ministry said, represents “an entirely new threat scenario” requiring fresh policy responses.
Germany also stressed that meaningful AI governance demands participation from both Washington and Beijing. The country plans to raise the issue at the G7 level, according to the spokesperson.
Meanwhile, Spain’s Digital Transformation Minister Oscar Lopez voiced support for an international agreement on AI risks, comparing the approach to nuclear non-proliferation treaties. He noted AI’s potential in drug discovery and medical treatment while warning of significant dangers in finance and cybersecurity. Lopez also criticized U.S. President Donald Trump for dismissing concerns from AI researchers.
The European Commission reinforced its position that innovation and safety must advance together. Companies operating in the bloc must demonstrate their services are safe for citizens, said Commission spokesperson Thomas Regnier.
Britain welcomed the open discussion among leading AI firms but cautioned against speculative regulation. A spokesperson for Prime Minister Andy Burnham called the industry dialogue positive while urging evidence-driven policy. The UK, Europe’s largest AI investment hub, has favored lighter-touch oversight compared to Brussels.
The divergent responses highlight a deepening split over AI governance as governments weigh competitive pressures against mounting safety concerns.
