Core Viewpoint - The global competition in artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly focused on the physical foundation of computing power, leading to a silent war over "Compute Sovereignty" [2][3][4]. Group 1: Understanding Compute Sovereignty - Compute sovereignty is a complex issue that must be deconstructed into three levels: the location of AI computing resources, the nationality of the companies owning these data centers, and the origin of the AI accelerators (chips) powering them [2][3]. - A survey of nine leading public cloud service providers reveals a highly uneven global distribution of computing power, with only 33 countries hosting critical AI infrastructure, indicating a significant gap between "compute-rich" and "compute-poor" nations [3][4]. Group 2: Territorial Illusions and Economic Considerations - The concept of territorial sovereignty in computing power is primarily about having physical AI data centers within a country's borders, which is seen as essential for ensuring supply security and regulatory oversight [4][5]. - The report highlights that while attracting foreign tech giants to build data centers can bring economic benefits, the environmental and resource costs may outweigh these advantages, especially for countries lacking competitive energy and climate conditions [5]. Group 3: Supplier Loyalty and Geopolitical Strategies - Merely having data centers does not equate to true sovereignty; the nationality of AI cloud service providers introduces a layer of complexity due to overlapping legal jurisdictions [6][7]. - Countries face strategic choices between two approaches: "Aligning" with a single foreign superpower's digital infrastructure or "Hedging" by diversifying suppliers to mitigate risks [8][9]. Group 4: The Chip Dependency - The report identifies a critical dependency on AI accelerators, with U.S. companies like NVIDIA dominating 80% to 95% of the global market, leading to a situation where most countries rely on U.S. technology for their AI capabilities [10][11]. - Countries like the EU and China are striving for "strategic autonomy" in chip production, but achieving this is a long-term and costly endeavor [12][13]. Group 5: Conclusion on Sovereignty - The report concludes that compute sovereignty is not a straightforward goal but a complex framework filled with trade-offs, where a nation may achieve sovereignty in one area while remaining dependent in another [13].

Group 1: AI Sovereignty and Infrastructure - European countries, particularly France and the UK, face a significant shortfall in AI computing power, with Europe accounting for 20% of global AI demand but only 3%-5% of supply capacity, leading to heavy reliance on US and Chinese technology [1][3][4] - The French President emphasized the need for Europe to establish its own computing and chip manufacturing capabilities to reduce external dependencies and achieve "computing sovereignty" [3][4] - France and the UK announced plans to significantly expand their computing infrastructure, with the UK aiming for a 20-fold increase in public computing capacity by 2030 [1][4] Group 2: Talent Retention and Ecosystem Development - There is a pressing issue of talent retention in Europe, with many AI professionals being attracted to other regions; creating an environment conducive to research and innovation is crucial [1][8][9] - France is implementing measures to retain AI talent, including allowing researchers to engage in entrepreneurial activities while remaining in academia and modifying intellectual property laws to facilitate technology transfer [9][34] - The importance of a supportive ecosystem that includes collaboration between public and private sectors, as well as startups, is highlighted as essential for fostering innovation [9][34] Group 3: Technological Leadership and Open Source Strategy - DeepMind's CEO warned that to have a voice in global AI governance, countries must maintain technological leadership, emphasizing that those who can train models and deploy systems hold the real power [5][6][7] - Mistral AI's open-source strategy aims to democratize access to AI models, allowing more researchers to participate in innovation and reducing the dominance of a few large companies [10][11] - The open-source approach is seen as a way for Europe to establish its influence in the global AI ecosystem and create a counterbalance to the US and China [11] Group 4: Global Collaboration and Future Outlook - The discussion emphasized the need for a global approach to AI innovation, with collaboration across borders being essential to address challenges in various sectors, including energy and life sciences [42][43] - The importance of maintaining a competitive edge in computing power and reducing reliance on external sources, particularly in chip manufacturing, is underscored [44][45] - The upcoming AI summits are viewed as critical opportunities for fostering international dialogue and collaboration in the AI space [48][54]