EU needs AI investments worth €500bn, von der Leyen says
EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stated that €500 billion is needed for AI investments, primarily for advanced models, chips, and hardware, to help European tech startups scale up.
- World
- DPA
- Published Date: 10:21 PM 13 November 2026
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said artificial intelligence (AI) companies in the European Union would require investments worth €500 billion ($551 billion).
The funding is most needed to develop highly advanced AI models and in the areas of chips and other hardware, von der Leyen said on Friday after a discussion with EU leaders in Dublin.
"Europe is creating more tech startups than the US. But many of these startups fail to receive the necessary support to scale them," von der Leyen said.
The EU needed to attract private investments, but also reform its investment rules and agree on innovation funds, von der Leyen said.
The push to expand Europe's AI industry aims to reduce its dependence on US and Chinese technology.
Von der Leyen said she will present an "ambitious proposal" on morefunding for tech sovereignty.
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