Macron Urges Europe: Simplify Regulations to Rejoin AI Race

As the world races to harness the power of artificial intelligence (AI), French President Emmanuel Macron has called on Europe to simplify its regulations to keep pace with the competition. In a speech at the Artificial Intelligence Action Summit in Paris, Macron emphasized the need for Europe to accelerate, simplify regulations, and deepen the single market to attract more investments in AI (Macron, 2025).

The AI race is heating up, with the United States and China leading the pack. In late 2023, the UK government convened the first international AI summit at Bletchley Park near London, focusing on AI safety and ensuring that governments could protect their citizens' jobs and lives from the rapid rise of superintelligent AI (AI Action Summit, 2025). However, the undercurrent of the summit was political leaders trying to figure out how to capitalize on the advantages AI would undoubtedly bring.

Now, China, which remained on the sidelines of previous summits, has sent Vice Premier Zhang Guoqing to the AI Action Summit in Paris, signaling its commitment to the AI race (AI Action Summit, 2025). Meanwhile, US Vice President JD Vance is also attending the summit, highlighting the importance of AI to both superpowers.

Macron's call for simplified regulations comes as the European Union (EU) is streamlining its AI regulation. The EU AI Act, proposed in 2021, aims to create a harmonized regulatory framework for AI systems, classifying them based on their risk levels (EU AI Act, 2021). However, some AI experts have warned that the current draft of the EU AI Act does not adequately address the dangers of a big tech oligopoly on AI or the risks of a geopolitical race for AI supremacy (AI Action Summit, 2025).

To attract more AI investments and foster innovation, Europe could consider several regulatory changes. Streamlining regulations and reducing bureaucracy would make it easier for companies to invest in AI. Encouraging public-private partnerships could help drive AI research and development. Investing in computing capacities, such as data centers, would provide the infrastructure needed to support AI innovation. Promoting ethical, accessible, and frugal AI could help Europe differentiate itself from other regions and attract socially conscious investments.



Moreover, Europe could balance the need for AI regulation with the desire to encourage competition and growth in the AI industry by adopting a multi-faceted approach. A risk-based regulatory framework would allow for tailored regulation, ensuring that high-risk systems are subject to stricter requirements while lower-risk systems can operate with fewer restrictions (European Commission, 2021). Encouraging innovation through supportive measures, such as AI Factories and innovation packages, could help foster growth in the AI industry (European Commission, 2025). Promoting AI literacy and facilitating collaboration and standardization could create a more predictable and supportive regulatory environment, fostering competition and growth in the AI industry (Macron, 2025).

In conclusion, Macron's call for Europe to simplify its regulations to rejoin the AI race highlights the importance of creating a supportive environment for AI innovation. By streamlining regulations, encouraging public-private partnerships, investing in computing capacities, and promoting ethical, accessible, and frugal AI, Europe can attract more AI investments and foster innovation in the sector. Balancing the need for AI regulation with the desire to encourage competition and growth in the AI industry will be crucial for Europe to remain competitive in the global AI race.