Written by the Helvetic Tech Editorial Team
When the European Commission unveils its new “Apply AI” strategy this week, the announcement will reverberate far beyond Brussels. It marks a decisive moment in Europe’s technological evolution and for Helvetic Tech, it embodies the very principles our platform was founded on: European innovation, ethical intelligence, and digital sovereignty.
Under the leadership of Henna Virkkunen, the EU’s Executive Vice President for Tech Sovereignty, Security and Democracy, the European Union is taking bold steps to reduce its dependence on American and Chinese technologies. This initiative mirrors the core belief driving Helvetic Tech, that Europe must cultivate its own AI ecosystems to ensure resilience, trust, and competitiveness in an increasingly polarized digital world.
Artificial intelligence today is not just a tool of productivity; it is a strategic instrument of power. The ability to design, control, and scale AI technologies determines who leads the next phase of global innovation. At Helvetic Tech, we have long argued that Europe cannot rely on imported algorithms and external infrastructures without compromising its autonomy. The Commission’s latest move validates that concern, warning explicitly that “external dependencies of the AI stack” could be weaponised by geopolitical rivals, exposing Europe to systemic vulnerabilities.
Two political realities have accelerated this shift. The return of Donald Trump to the US presidency has rekindled fears about the stability of transatlantic partnerships, while China’s surge as a global AI superpower has underscored Europe’s waning influence in setting global technology standards. Against this backdrop, Brussels’ new AI blueprint echoes the same vision Helvetic Tech advocates daily, a Europe that takes control of its digital destiny through open, ethical, and scalable innovation.
The Apply AI strategy aims to operationalise this vision by promoting European-made AI tools, advancing open-source generative systems, and investing €1 billion in cross-sector adoption. Public administrations will lead by example, serving as early adopters of local AI technologies and creating the demand needed for European start-ups to scale globally. As Helvetic Tech has highlighted in numerous analyses, the key to sovereignty lies not only in regulation but in active implementation — where governments and industries collaborate to make European AI viable at scale.
One of the strategy’s most compelling aspects is its security dimension. Brussels plans to reduce dependency on US-based defence technologies by developing European AI-enabled command and control (C2) systems. These systems, essential for modern military coordination, have long been dominated by NATO’s American infrastructure. The EU’s ambition to build sovereign C2 and space-defence AI capabilities aligns directly with Helvetic Tech’s ongoing research coverage on how Europe’s digital autonomy intersects with national security and defence innovation.
From an industrial standpoint, this new approach could spark a renaissance in European competitiveness. The Commission envisions a continent where AI drives productivity in manufacturing, healthcare, and logistics, a vision that Helvetic Tech has been tracking closely through its spotlight on emerging European AI champions such as Mistral in France and Helsing in Germany. These companies demonstrate that European AI can be world-class, provided there is structural support, open collaboration, and investment in scale.
For Helvetic Tech, the implications for Switzerland are profound. Though not an EU member, Switzerland sits at the crossroads of European innovation and global technology markets. Its neutrality, strong research institutions, and pragmatic innovation culture position it as a natural bridge between EU AI initiatives and international collaboration. Through its platform, Helvetic Tech actively connects Swiss research with European policy debates, helping shape a shared vision for a trustworthy and sovereign AI future.
What makes Europe’s AI strategy distinctive and what aligns it so strongly with the Helvetic Tech philosophy is its values-first approach. While the US focuses on rapid commercial scaling and China on state-led expansion, Europe’s advantage lies in its commitment to transparency, accountability, and human-centric design. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen summed it up perfectly: “We must speed up AI adoption across the board, but always on our own ethical terms.” This sentiment mirrors Helvetic Tech’s guiding principle: that innovation without integrity is no innovation at all.
The Apply AI strategy thus represents both a policy roadmap and a cultural milestone. It challenges Europe and by extension, Switzerland to build AI systems that are not only technologically advanced but also aligned with the continent’s democratic values. It calls for cross-border cooperation, open research, and responsible scaling themes at the centre of Helvetic Tech’s research, commentary, and community dialogues.
If Europe succeeds, it will not merely compete with Silicon Valley and Shenzhen; it will redefine the very nature of global technological leadership. And as this transformation unfolds, Helvetic Tech will continue to serve as a catalyst connecting Swiss innovation, European strategy, and ethical AI research into one coherent narrative of progress.
At this historic inflection point, the message is clear: sovereignty in AI is not isolationism, it is empowerment. It is the confidence to build systems that reflect our values and serve our societies. As Europe charts its new digital course, Helvetic Tech stands ready to inform, connect, and inspire the innovators who will shape that future.
Helvetic Tech – Empowering Switzerland and Europe to lead responsibly in the age of artificial intelligence.
When the European Commission unveils its new “Apply AI” strategy this week, the announcement will reverberate far beyond Brussels. It marks a decisive moment in Europe’s technological evolution and for Helvetic Tech, it embodies the very principles our platform was founded on: European innovation, ethical intelligence, and digital sovereignty.
Under the leadership of Henna Virkkunen, the EU’s Executive Vice President for Tech Sovereignty, Security and Democracy, the European Union is taking bold steps to reduce its dependence on American and Chinese technologies. This initiative mirrors the core belief driving Helvetic Tech, that Europe must cultivate its own AI ecosystems to ensure resilience, trust, and competitiveness in an increasingly polarized digital world.
Artificial intelligence today is not just a tool of productivity; it is a strategic instrument of power. The ability to design, control, and scale AI technologies determines who leads the next phase of global innovation. At Helvetic Tech, we have long argued that Europe cannot rely on imported algorithms and external infrastructures without compromising its autonomy. The Commission’s latest move validates that concern, warning explicitly that “external dependencies of the AI stack” could be weaponised by geopolitical rivals, exposing Europe to systemic vulnerabilities.
Two political realities have accelerated this shift. The return of Donald Trump to the US presidency has rekindled fears about the stability of transatlantic partnerships, while China’s surge as a global AI superpower has underscored Europe’s waning influence in setting global technology standards. Against this backdrop, Brussels’ new AI blueprint echoes the same vision Helvetic Tech advocates daily, a Europe that takes control of its digital destiny through open, ethical, and scalable innovation.
The Apply AI strategy aims to operationalise this vision by promoting European-made AI tools, advancing open-source generative systems, and investing €1 billion in cross-sector adoption. Public administrations will lead by example, serving as early adopters of local AI technologies and creating the demand needed for European start-ups to scale globally. As Helvetic Tech has highlighted in numerous analyses, the key to sovereignty lies not only in regulation but in active implementation — where governments and industries collaborate to make European AI viable at scale.
One of the strategy’s most compelling aspects is its security dimension. Brussels plans to reduce dependency on US-based defence technologies by developing European AI-enabled command and control (C2) systems. These systems, essential for modern military coordination, have long been dominated by NATO’s American infrastructure. The EU’s ambition to build sovereign C2 and space-defence AI capabilities aligns directly with Helvetic Tech’s ongoing research coverage on how Europe’s digital autonomy intersects with national security and defence innovation.
From an industrial standpoint, this new approach could spark a renaissance in European competitiveness. The Commission envisions a continent where AI drives productivity in manufacturing, healthcare, and logistics, a vision that Helvetic Tech has been tracking closely through its spotlight on emerging European AI champions such as Mistral in France and Helsing in Germany. These companies demonstrate that European AI can be world-class, provided there is structural support, open collaboration, and investment in scale.
For Helvetic Tech, the implications for Switzerland are profound. Though not an EU member, Switzerland sits at the crossroads of European innovation and global technology markets. Its neutrality, strong research institutions, and pragmatic innovation culture position it as a natural bridge between EU AI initiatives and international collaboration. Through its platform, Helvetic Tech actively connects Swiss research with European policy debates, helping shape a shared vision for a trustworthy and sovereign AI future.
What makes Europe’s AI strategy distinctive and what aligns it so strongly with the Helvetic Tech philosophy is its values-first approach. While the US focuses on rapid commercial scaling and China on state-led expansion, Europe’s advantage lies in its commitment to transparency, accountability, and human-centric design. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen summed it up perfectly: “We must speed up AI adoption across the board, but always on our own ethical terms.” This sentiment mirrors Helvetic Tech’s guiding principle: that innovation without integrity is no innovation at all.
The Apply AI strategy thus represents both a policy roadmap and a cultural milestone. It challenges Europe and by extension, Switzerland to build AI systems that are not only technologically advanced but also aligned with the continent’s democratic values. It calls for cross-border cooperation, open research, and responsible scaling themes at the centre of Helvetic Tech’s research, commentary, and community dialogues.
If Europe succeeds, it will not merely compete with Silicon Valley and Shenzhen; it will redefine the very nature of global technological leadership. And as this transformation unfolds, Helvetic Tech will continue to serve as a catalyst connecting Swiss innovation, European strategy, and ethical AI research into one coherent narrative of progress.
At this historic inflection point, the message is clear: sovereignty in AI is not isolationism, it is empowerment. It is the confidence to build systems that reflect our values and serve our societies. As Europe charts its new digital course, Helvetic Tech stands ready to inform, connect, and inspire the innovators who will shape that future.
Helvetic Tech – Empowering Switzerland and Europe to lead responsibly in the age of artificial intelligence.