European Parliament President Roberta Metsola has insisted that Europe is still capable of becoming a global leader in artificial intelligence, calling for greater investment and better opportunities for European businesses to compete internationally.Speaking at an informal European Council meeting in Dublin on Friday, Metsola rejected the idea that Europe has already fallen behind in the global AI race.“Europe has world-class talent, technological expertise and industrial experience to lead in Artificial Intelligence,” she declared.“What we need now is to ensure that our ideas have the financing they need to grow and succeed in Europe.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by Lovin Malta (@lovinmalta)The Maltese politician argued that the European Union already possesses the talent, expertise and businesses needed to compete with international technology giants.However, she stressed that Europe must make it easier for innovative companies to access funding, expand their operations and turn promising ideas into successful businesses.She also highlighted the importance of reducing energy prices, which remain a major consideration for industries and businesses developing new technologies.Metsola linked these ambitions to ongoing negotiations over the EU’s next long-term budget, covering the period between 2028 and 2034.She argued that European funding must reflect both the challenges facing the bloc and its ambitions for the future, particularly as artificial intelligence becomes increasingly important to economic competitiveness.But AI wasn’t the only issue on the agenda.Turning to the war in Ukraine, Metsola stressed that Europe’s commitment to supporting the country must be backed by reliable, long-term financing.“This is not about charity for Ukraine, it’s about reinforcing and reassuring Europe’s security,” she said.She also emphasised that achieving peace must remain the priority.The informal European Council meeting is taking place under Ireland’s Presidency of the Council of the European Union, as negotiations continue over the bloc’s next seven-year budget.With artificial intelligence, economic competitiveness and European security all on the agenda, Metsola’s message was that Europe must match its ambitions with the financial resources needed to deliver them.•