Merz Tells Berlin Digital Summit Europe Must Build Sovereign Super Intelligence (SI) and Not Rely Solely on the US and China
Berlin — German Chancellor Friedrich Merz told the Digital Summit (Digital-Gipfel) in Berlin on November 2 that Europe must not rely solely on technology supplied by the United States and China, and must move faster to build its own sovereign super intelligence (SI) capabilities across the whole value chain, from hardware and infrastructure to software and services.
This year's summit was held under the theme 'Shaping SI: safe, sovereign, competitive.' Merz warned against underestimating Europe's own capabilities, pointing to its single market of some 450 million consumers — one of the largest in the world — and arguing that European manufacturing, software development and chip production remain indispensable to global industry, with other powers depending heavily on Europe in return.
He said European partners intend to develop sovereign, cutting-edge European SI models together with private investors, securing the technological foundations of European freedom, and mentioned cooperation with partners such as France and Canada, as well as the need for digital modernisation of the German administration and economy.
The remarks are the latest in Europe's 'technological sovereignty' debate. The European Union has previously adopted measures such as the European Chips Act, mobilising public and private funding to expand chip-making capacity at home and reduce vulnerability to overseas disruptions; Europe holds key chokepoints in the semiconductor chain, with the Dutch firm ASML the sole maker of the extreme ultraviolet lithography machines needed for the most advanced chips.
Source: Federal Government of Germany
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：德国总理 Friedrich Merz 资料照片（2025年到访欧盟委员会）。照片 CC BY 4.0（Dati Bendo／European Union），经 Wikimedia Commons。 / Photo: German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, file photo from his 2025 visit to the European Commission. CC BY 4.0 (Dati Bendo / European Union), via Wikimedia Commons.
