Vance to Europe: “The AI Future is Not Going to be Won by Handwringing About Safety”

Yesterday, Vice President JD Vance took the stage at the AI Summit in Paris, France to confront crooked EU regulations and stand up for American interests abroad. In front of French Prime Minister Emmanuel Macron and President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, Vance unashamedly spoke about the significant advantages of embracing AI technology and advised against the pitfalls of being too risk averse.

Just a few years back, the same conference heralded the theme of “AI Safety”, but, in stark contrast, President Trump’s second-in-charge instead spoke of “AI Opportunity”:

“The Trump administration believes that AI will have countless revolutionary applications in economic innovation, job creation, national security, health care, free expression and beyond. And to restrict its development now would not only unfairly benefit incumbents in the space, it would mean paralyzing one of the most promising technologies we have seen in generations”.

His vows were backed up with four explanatory points that stipulated the Trump AI agenda:

1. American AI companies will continue to be the global standard worldwide
2. The administration will encourage pro-growth AI policies
3. Ensure that AI remains free from ideological bias and authoritarian censorship
4. The administration will maintain a pro-worker growth path for AI

Some of the greatest threats to American technological innovation, however, have come from abroad – placing even greater significance on Vance’s remarks in front of a crowd of diplomats in Paris. He goes on:

“We need international regulatory regimes that foster the creation of AI technology rather than strangle it. And we need our European friends in particular to look to this new frontier with optimism rather than trepidation”

This is a direct repudiation of recent attempts by the European Union to weaponize anti-trust against the leaders in American innovation. In June of 2024, the European Union claimed Microsoft had violated their antitrust laws with “possibly abusive” practices by “restricting competition” simply by bundling Microsoft Teas with Office 365 and Microsoft 365. In March of that same year, US tech company Apple was fined $2 billion for violating the EU’s “Digital Markets Act” (DMA) by claiming the tech giant neglected to inform users about cheaper music subscription services outside of the App store. Even more recently, the EU fined social media company Meta $840 million for “abusive practices benefitting Facebook marketplace”. The EU AI Act was the international bodies’ first foray into AI regulation, clamping down with burdensome requirements for developers and innovators.

Vance spoke about foreign governments “tightening the screws” on US tech companies and made clear that “America cannot and will not accept that”. He railed strongly against the EU’s Digital Services Act, claiming it instructs companies to “take down content” and “police so-called misinformation”. He concludes by saying “The AI future is not going to be won by handwringing about safety”.

This marks a welcome change from the Biden administration who allowed some of America’s largest employers to be walked over by bureaucrats from Brussels. It sends a message that the US is up for the challenge of matching competitors in Europe and Asia and is willing to stand up for US interests abroad against weaponized antitrust and regulatory regimes. Trump ran on an America First platform signaling an end to four years of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris that not only abandoned American industry but actively colluded with European bureaucrats who attacked them.

ATR applauds this landmark speech by Vice President Vance and eagerly looks forward to the unleashed benefits of greater investment in artificial intelligence.

Watch the full speech HERE.