Europe is a digital colony of the US

Failure to invest - innovate - grow

EU regulation has been a dead end

Its not America's fault

The infantilisation of European industry

Does Europe need monopolies to compete?

European tech needs demand: public procurement

Private companies must buy European

Buying European vs US tech

The decoupling straw man: market share matters

Europeans need global ambition

Europe is a superpower - time to act like it

No longer a business as usual world

Tim and Theos wrap up

Cristina Caffarra is an eminent economist and veteran antitrust practitioner who has become a leading voice behind Eurostack — a grassroots, industry-led push to rebuild Europe’s digital infrastructure as a sovereignty and competitiveness play. She has a strong argument to make:


Europe is a “digital colony” — and it’s self-inflicted. US hyperscalers are excellent; Europe vacated the field through fragmentation, weak risk capital, and complacency.


The "kill switch" is a distraction; dependency is the disease. The real risk is gradual denial: deprecated features, constrained access, and strategic leverage — not a Hollywood blockbuster blackout.


Productivity is the core argument. Europe’s gap is investment per worker, especially into high-growth tech that diffuses across the whole economy.


Regulation can’t create an industry. Antitrust and platform rules “nibble at the corners”, take years, and leave the giants stronger — while absorbing all the political oxygen.


Europe chose theatre over building. “Taming Big Tech” became a substitute for the only question that mattered: where are Europe’s builders, customers, and scale-ups?


Demand is the lever, not more grants. Without customers, no stack survives — procurement and enterprise buying decisions are the flywheel.


Procurement should be the no-brainer. Every other major power has local preference norms; Europe’s non-discrimination logic is now being weaponised against European options. She notes that even the European Commission's own CIOs focuses on performance and efficiency alone. 


Private enterprise is the real swing voter. Public sector is ~20% of demand; the other 80% sits with CEOs and CIOs who complain about European weakness — and then buy American.


European tech can compete cost — but not ease of use. European components exist; what’s missing is end-to-end “peace of mind” and the glue between parts. 


Mercedes is the case study. They want sensitive AI loads (e.g. autonomous driving) not wholly dependent on US infrastructure — but need suppliers and buyers to co-design workable, integrated alternatives.


She argues that no one wants to “decouple” form the US — that’s a straw man. The practical goal is share: move European supply from <20% to something like 30–40% in a growing market.


This is wartime logic, not business-as-usual. Europe has surged before under pressure; Caffarra argues that its time to stop waiting for Brussels and to start acting like a superpower.

She leaves us with a blunt challenge: will Europe keep buying convenience — or invest, through demand, in a tech stack that keeps its innovation future in its own hands?

Cristina Caffarra is an eminent economist and veteran antitrust practitioner who has become a leading voice behind&nbsp;Eurostack &mdash; a grassroots, industry-led push to rebuild Europe&rsquo;s digital infrastructure as a sovereignty and competitiveness play. She has a strong argument to make:
<ul data-start="250" data-end="2495">
<li data-start="410" data-end="588">
Europe is a &ldquo;digital colony&rdquo; &mdash; and it&rsquo;s self-inflicted. US hyperscalers are excellent; Europe vacated the field through fragmentation, weak risk capital, and complacency.
</li>
<li data-start="589" data-end="782">
The "kill switch" is a distraction; dependency is the disease. The real risk is gradual denial: deprecated features, constrained access, and strategic leverage &mdash; not a Hollywood blockbuster blackout.
</li>
<li data-start="783" data-end="956">
Productivity is the core argument.&nbsp;Europe&rsquo;s gap is investment per worker, especially into high-growth tech that diffuses across the whole economy.
</li>
<li data-start="957" data-end="1131">
Regulation can&rsquo;t create an industry. Antitrust and platform rules &ldquo;nibble at the corners&rdquo;, take years, and leave the giants stronger &mdash; while absorbing all the political oxygen.
</li>
<li data-start="1132" data-end="1305">
Europe chose theatre over building. &ldquo;Taming Big Tech&rdquo; became a substitute for the only question that mattered: where are Europe&rsquo;s builders, customers, and scale-ups?
</li>
<li data-start="1306" data-end="1452">
Demand is the lever, not more grants. Without customers, no stack survives &mdash; procurement and enterprise buying decisions are the flywheel.
</li>
<li data-start="1453" data-end="1628">
Procurement should be the no-brainer. Every other major power has local preference norms; Europe&rsquo;s non-discrimination logic is now being weaponised against European options. She notes that even the European Commission's own CIOs focuses on performance and efficiency alone.&nbsp;
</li>
<li data-start="1629" data-end="1789">
Private enterprise is the real swing voter. Public sector is ~20% of demand; the other 80% sits with CEOs and CIOs who complain about European weakness &mdash; and then buy American.
</li>
<li data-start="1790" data-end="1947">
European tech can compete cost &mdash; but not ease of use. European components exist; what&rsquo;s missing is end-to-end &ldquo;peace of mind&rdquo; and the glue between parts.&nbsp;
</li>
<li data-start="1948" data-end="2160">
Mercedes is the case study. They want sensitive AI loads (e.g. autonomous driving) not wholly dependent on US infrastructure &mdash; but need suppliers and buyers to co-design workable, integrated alternatives.
</li>
<li data-start="2161" data-end="2319">
She argues that no one wants to &ldquo;decouple&rdquo; form the US &mdash; that&rsquo;s a straw man. The practical goal is share: move European supply from &lt;20% to something like 30&ndash;40% in a growing market.
</li>
<li data-start="2320" data-end="2495">
This is wartime logic, not business-as-usual. Europe has surged before under pressure; Caffarra argues that its time to stop waiting for Brussels and to start acting like a superpower.
</li>
</ul>
She leaves us with a blunt challenge: will Europe keep buying convenience &mdash; or invest, through demand, in a tech stack that keeps its innovation future in its own hands?

AI changes everything it touches. For better and for worse. And AI is increasingly touching everything. The Age of Intelligence, recorded from INSEAD, brings together the voices of this new era.

AI is rebalancing the world. Power is shifting — among nations, corporations, and individuals — as trillions in value are created and redistributed. AI is increasingly central to economic and business strategy, geopolitical influence, and the shaping of culture, ideology, and values.

Listen to those leading the change—from academics exploring the boundaries, to entrepreneurs building the future, business leaders reshaping markets, policy-makers tackling the implications, and analysts marvelling at it.

Who will gain most in this unfolding era? What can executives, policymakers, parents, and citizens do to protect and shape their future? How will values and beliefs evolve as education and media are revolutionized? What does this mean for national security, business survival, personal agency – indeed what will it mean to be human?

Guiding you through this conversation are Theos and Tim. Theos Evgeniou is a leading AI academic at INSEAD, entrepreneur, and advisor. Tim Gordon, co-founder at Best Practice AI, is an entrepreneur, adviser and recovering political organiser. They have worked with some of the world’s most sophisticated companies, organisations and governments as they grapple with these questions.

Each episode features a thought-provoking conversation with a remarkable guest – followed by a rapid-fire, high-energy debrief.

We’ll reflect on what it might mean – for you, for your business, and for our world. Grounded in the realities but exploring the opportunities.

Whether you’re building, investing in, or simply trying to make sense of AI and what it may mean for you, this podcast is your backstage pass to the diverse people and ideas driving the most transformative force of our time.

Subscribe now or push the “like” button

AI changes everything it touches. For better and for worse. And AI is increasingly touching everything. The Age of Intelligence, recorded from INSEAD, brings together the voices of this new era.
AI is rebalancing the world. Power is shifting &mdash; among nations, corporations, and individuals &mdash; as trillions in value are created and redistributed. AI is increasingly central to economic and business strategy, geopolitical influence, and the shaping of culture, ideology, and values.
Listen to those leading the change&mdash;from academics exploring the boundaries, to entrepreneurs building the future, business leaders reshaping markets, policy-makers tackling the implications, and analysts marvelling at it.
Who will gain most in this unfolding era? What can executives, policymakers, parents, and citizens do to protect and shape their future? How will values and beliefs evolve as education and media are revolutionized? What does this mean for national security, business survival, personal agency &ndash; indeed what will it mean to be human?
Guiding you through this conversation are Theos and Tim. Theos Evgeniou is a leading AI academic at INSEAD, entrepreneur, and advisor. Tim Gordon, co-founder at Best Practice AI, is an entrepreneur, adviser and recovering political organiser. They have worked with some of the world&rsquo;s most sophisticated companies, organisations and governments as they grapple with these questions.
Each episode features a thought-provoking conversation with a remarkable guest &ndash; followed by a rapid-fire, high-energy debrief.
We&rsquo;ll reflect on what it might mean &ndash; for you, for your business, and for our world. Grounded in the realities but exploring the opportunities.
Whether you&rsquo;re building, investing in, or simply trying to make sense of AI and what it may mean for you, this podcast is your backstage pass to the diverse people and ideas driving the most transformative force of our time.
Subscribe now or push the &ldquo;like&rdquo; button

The Age Of Intelligence

 Its time to build! (European style): Cristina Caffarra