US Vice President Vance steps onto global stage at AI summit in Paris

European Commission chief to spell out AI strategy

Paris: US Vice President JD Vance steps onto the global stage at the Paris AI summit on Tuesday, where he is likely to deliver a candid message on Europe's regulation of artificial intelligence and moderation of content on Big Tech.

The mood on AI has shifted as the technology takes root, from one of concerns around safety to geopolitical competition, as countries jockey to nurture the next big AI giant.

On the summit's first day, host French President Emmanuel Macron urged Europe to cut red tape to make it easier for AI to flourish in the region, after the Trump administration's unwinding of regulation laid bare how far strategies towards AI in the United States, China and Europe have diverged.

Vance is a fierce critic of content moderation on big tech platforms. In September, he suggested the United States could drop its support for the NATO alliance if European countries moderate content on Elon Musk's social media platform X.

"One of the things that America's moral leadership is going to be about during President Trump's term is free speech," Vance told Breitbart ahead of his trip, setting the tone for his conversations with European leaders in the French capital.

"We want people to be able to speak their minds, and we believe that free and open debate is actually a good thing. Unfortunately, a lot of our European friends have gone the wrong direction there."

In a sign of where his priorities lie, Vance told Breitbart he was primarily in Paris to discuss Russia's war in Ukraine with European counterparts.

Nonetheless, Vance will lead the American delegation at the summit, where representatives of nearly 100 countries including China, India and the United States will meet to determine if competing national interests can be reconciled.

Macron highlighted one difference on Monday night. France would not "drill, baby, drill" like the United States but tap its carbon-free nuclear energy so companies could "plug, baby, plug" to meet the voracious power needs of AI.

Macron said European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen would unveil in her speech to the summit on Tuesday a refreshed AI strategy for the bloc that "will be a unique opportunity for Europe to accelerate, to simplify our regulations".

EU digital chief Henna Virkkunen told Reuters on Monday that the bloc would cut red tape when there is overlap, but also ensure rules are respected.

"When it comes to our digital world, the European Union is very committed to the fact that we want to have a fair and safe and democratic environment," she said.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz had this message for guests at a summit dinner on Monday: "I urge European companies to join forces for a strong joint effort towards AI made in Europe," he said in prepared remarks seen by Reuters.

In a bilateral meeting, Vance and von der Leyen are also likely to discuss Trump's substantial increase of tariffs on steel.

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman was expected to address the summit on Tuesday. A consortium led by Musk said on Monday it had offered $97.4 billion to buy the nonprofit controlling OpenAI.

Altman promptly posted on X: "no thank you but we will buy twitter for $9.74 billion if you want."

Separately, it was unclear if the United States and other nations would embrace a draft summit statement circulated on January 30 that called for an "inclusive approach" to AI that is multi-stakeholder, human rights-based and bolsters the developing world.

The draft declaration, seen by Reuters, laid out priorities that included "avoiding market concentration" and "making AI sustainable for people and the planet."