As the 2025 two-day AI Action Summit kicks off in Paris, a major push to position Europe as a global leader in AI is taking shape. The EU AI Champions Initiative, a program to boost AI technologies in Europe led by global investment firm General Catalyst, has issued a call for action, calling for simplified AI regulations, increased investment in infrastructure and a public awareness campaign to boost trust in the technology.
According to
Amac News, The centerpiece of the plan is a €150 billion investment in European AI over the next five years, backed by 20 key investors.
The initiative has already attracted support from large companies, venture capital firms and AI startups, and represents a concerted effort to scale up AI in Europe.
Backers of the initiative include Germany’s Deutsche Bank, defense startup Helsing, France’s Mistral AI, and music streaming giant Spotify.
In addition, French President Emmanuel Macron announced a €109 billion commitment to develop artificial intelligence in France this morning.
With a collective market value of more than €2.9 trillion and a workforce of 3.7 million, the initiative’s backers represent a significant force in European industry.
The new strategy aims to accelerate the adoption of artificial intelligence in critical sectors such as manufacturing, energy, healthcare, and defense—all areas where Europe is a global leader but has been slow to mainstream AI on a large scale.
At the heart of the initiative is a new strategic report, “At least one ambitious agenda for European artificial intelligence,” which outlines how AI can be harnessed to boost productivity, strengthen economic resilience, and preserve Europe’s strategic autonomy. The report emphasizes the need for radical collaboration between trusted companies, AI technology providers, and policymakers to unleash the full economic potential of AI.
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