Luís Barreto Xavier authors article on the European Union’s path to catching up in AI development

Luís Barreto Xavier explores the European Union’s challenges and strategies to strengthen its competitiveness in the field of artificial intelligence, in an article published by Jornal Económico.

The of counsel at Abreu Advogados and President of the Knowledge Institute challenges the notion that digital regulation hinders innovation. He emphasises that key barriers to Europe’s technological progress—especially when compared to the United States and China—include the absence of a unified digital market, fragmented capital markets, risk aversion, and difficulties in attracting global talent.

Luís Barreto Xavier highlights that “what is mainly lacking, in contrast to the abundance seen in the United States, is large-scale funding—via venture capital, but also public funds.”

To tackle these issues, the European Commission has launched initiatives such as the “Competitiveness Compass” and the “AI Continent Action Plan,” aimed at reducing bureaucracy, promoting data integration, and investing in AI infrastructure. Additional proposals include regulatory simplification measures for small and medium-sized enterprises, and the “Choose Europe” strategy to make Europe more attractive for investment. Luís Barreto Xavier argues that it is crucial to implement these measures without undermining the protection of individuals’ fundamental rights ensured by digital regulation.

Read the full article here (available only in Portuguese).