Artificial intelligence has moved from a specialized field to a central driver of global economic and technological power. The United States and China are leading the charge, investing tens of billions of dollars into AI development and rolling out powerful models supported by major tech companies and sprawling data centres.

Europe, despite its strong academic and research foundations, is struggling to transform its scientific expertise into globally competitive AI companies and technologies. Experts say the EU is falling behind, and the opportunity to dominate the AI space is narrowing.

Funding gaps are a key obstacle. US investment in AI dwarfs Europe’s, prompting many EU-trained engineers to leave the bloc for better-funded opportunities in Silicon Valley. While European startups are emerging, they remain largely reliant on US investors or face foreign acquisitions, limiting the region’s ability to grow homegrown AI champions.

The EU has chosen a different approach, emphasising regulation, ethics, and oversight through the AI Act and strict data protection rules. Proponents argue that Europe could become a global standard-setter, creating AI systems that are safe, transparent, and aligned with human rights. Critics, however, warn that this approach could slow innovation and allow other regions to pull ahead in commercial applications and technological scale.

Policymakers face a difficult balancing act between fostering innovation, ensuring safety, and maintaining ethical standards. The region’s ability to retain talent and encourage investment while enforcing strict rules is likely to shape its position in the global AI landscape over the next decade.

As AI continues to reshape industries, economies, and societies, the debate over Europe’s role grows more urgent. Has the EU already lost the AI battle, or can it still catch up? How much risk and disruption should Europe accept to stay competitive?

The public is being invited to weigh in. Take our poll and share your view. Your perspective is valuable: the survey is anonymous, takes just a few seconds to complete, and the results will be featured across EU.XL coverage in videos, articles, and newsletters. Insights from the poll will help shape reporting as the EU explores strategies to secure its place in the age of artificial intelligence.

Europe’s AI future will depend on the ability to balance regulation, innovation, investment, and talent retention. Decisions made today will determine whether the bloc can become a global AI leader or remain a follower in a rapidly evolving technological landscape.

Futsal, the fast-paced, small-sided version of indoor football, has grown into a truly global sport, played in over 100 countries and enjoyed by more than 30 million players worldwide, according to FIFA. Known for its emphasis on technical skill, agility, and quick decision-making, futsal has become an important platform for developing top-level talent. Major international tournaments, including the FIFA Futsal World Cup, continue to draw attention, highlighting the sport’s rising profile.

Azerbaijan has emerged as a key player in putting futsal on the international map. The country has a long-standing presence in European futsal, with the Azerbaijani Futsal Federation established in 1994. Since then, Azerbaijan has steadily developed its domestic league and national program, producing emerging talent and competing at the European level.

The national team is currently in Baku after securing two victories in friendly matches against Denmark. Training sessions leading up to the matches focused on tactical organization, defensive structure, and transitions — areas considered crucial against fast-paced European opponents. Team officials used the matches to assess form, refine strategies, and strengthen team cohesion.

Team captain Emin Kurdov emphasized the importance of the games for the national team. “The games against Denmark are important for the team’s full formation and for young players to gain experience. The national team has potential — it just needs some time,” Kurdov told local media. Although friendly matches do not carry competitive points, they provide a critical environment for testing line-ups, evaluating squad depth, and measuring players’ readiness under match conditions.

Denmark, a developing futsal nation, sought experience and exposure through the encounters. Despite their losses, the Danish side benefited from competing against a stronger opponent, with both teams using the matches to benchmark performance and maintain sharpness ahead of upcoming competitive fixtures, including World Cup qualification matches later this year.

Azerbaijan’s continued investment in futsal reflects a broader trend of growing interest in the sport worldwide. Its combination of skill, speed, and strategy has captured the imagination of players and fans alike, providing opportunities for emerging talent to shine on the international stage. As countries such as Azerbaijan strengthen their programs, futsal’s profile is set to rise even further in Europe and beyond.

The friendly matches against Denmark mark a significant step in Azerbaijan’s preparation for future tournaments and demonstrate the country’s commitment to maintaining its competitive presence in European futsal. With young players gaining experience and tactical cohesion improving, the national team is positioning itself as a rising force on the global futsal stage.

A sudden threat by former US President Donald Trump to impose tariffs to seize Greenland sent Europe scrambling to protect the transatlantic alliance. For five tense days, Trump warned he would apply a 10% tariff on eight NATO member states unless Denmark agreed to sell the semi-autonomous, mineral-rich island.

“This Tariff will be due and payable until such time as a Deal is reached for the Complete and Total purchase of Greenland,” Trump wrote on social media, prompting widespread condemnation from European leaders defending Denmark’s sovereignty.

EU ambassadors met the following day to prepare for 1 February, when the tariffs were set to take effect. France took the lead, calling for the use of the Anti-Coercion Instrument, which allows retaliation across multiple economic sectors. Previously designed for China, the mechanism had never been used, even amid Trump’s 2025 trade negotiations, which divided EU member states.

“Plunging us into a dangerous downward spiral would only aid the very adversaries we are both so committed to keeping out of our strategic landscape,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in Davos. “So our response will be unflinching, united and proportional.”

European capitals quickly prepared for potential retaliation, drafting a €93 billion list of countermeasures. The European Parliament also voted to indefinitely delay the ratification of the EU-US trade deal, blocking zero-tariff benefits for American products agreed in July.

Despite this display of unity, European leaders emphasized diplomacy as their preferred path. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said, “We want to avoid any escalation in this dispute if at all possible. We simply want to try to resolve this problem together.” Finnish President Alexander Stubb described the effort as finding an “off-ramp” to prevent a full-blown clash while safeguarding Greenland.

Early diplomatic overtures faltered. Bilateral meetings with Trump at Davos failed to materialize, and leaks of texts, including one from French President Emmanuel Macron, highlighted the confusion. Trump’s statements at the World Economic Forum, in which he repeatedly referred to Greenland as “Iceland,” kept tensions high.

Yet his insistence that he did not plan to use military force opened a narrow window for negotiation. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte met with Trump in Davos to establish a “framework deal” enhancing security in Greenland and the Arctic. The agreement, details of which remain confidential, prompted Trump to abandon his tariff threat and territorial ambitions.

By the time EU leaders convened in Brussels for an emergency summit, the atmosphere had eased. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen later traveled to Nuuk to ensure Denmark and Greenland were included in the discussions.

“Everybody has drawn the conclusion that the relationship is on a different footing,” a senior EU official said, acknowledging the long-term implications of Trump’s actions. Macron praised Europe’s display of unity, while von der Leyen warned the episode underscored the need for a more independent Europe with diverse international partnerships.

While the immediate crisis passed, the Greenland episode left a lasting mark on transatlantic relations and Europe’s approach to US unpredictability.