In an article for Gazeta Polska, Grzegorz Wierzchołowski recalls that the Lisbon Strategy of 2000—intended to make the EU “the most competitive and dynamic knowledge-based economy in the world” by 2010—ended in failure. Since then, the U.S. GDP has grown by 56%, while the eurozone’s has increased by only 31%. In 2021, research and development expenditures in the EU amounted to 2.27% of GDP, compared to 3.46% in the United States. In crucial areas such as artificial intelligence (AI), smartphones, and cybersecurity, Europe remains far behind. In 2023, investments in AI in the U.S. reached $67 billion, while in Europe, they amounted to just €6.5 billion. Models like GPT-4 or Grok are American creations—Europe has no equivalents.
In the smartphone sector, Android and iOS (both U.S.-developed) dominate, controlling 99% of the market. Processors are designed by Qualcomm and Apple, with Europe lacking any significant players in this field. In cybersecurity, the U.S. spends $24 billion annually, while the EU has allocated only €1.6 billion for the years 2021–2027. American firms like Palo Alto Networks and CrowdStrike set the standards, while Europe’s lack of a coherent strategy leaves it dependent. The situation is similar with processors (Intel, AMD, Nvidia) and operating systems (Windows, macOS)—the U.S. leads, while Europe merely consumes.
Wierzchołowski also highlights U.S. dominance in navigation (GPS), satellite internet (Starlink), cloud computing (AWS, Azure), and memory technologies (Micron). European projects such as Galileo or IRIS² pale in comparison to American-scale initiatives. This is not just a technological issue but a geopolitical one—without the U.S., Europe is defenceless against threats.
The full article in Gazeta Polska is a must-read for those who want to understand why the idea of the EU’s technological sovereignty is a mere illusion.