BRUSSELS — The Business Software Alliance responded to the European Commission’s AI Continent Action, calling it an important shift to help Europe lead in developing artificial intelligence (AI), not just regulating it. However, BSA has concerns about the plan’s strong emphasis on digital sovereignty. 

“The AI Continent plan can help to both build trust in AI and better equip European businesses to utilize AI in real-world contexts,” said Thomas Boué, Director General, EMEA at BSA. “The Commission is backing this plan with political will, financial investment and a clear signal that it is ready to listen. Simplification matters — not just as a message, but as a strategy. If the plan delivers on its promise of clarity, capacity, and support, it will make a real difference to the companies building and deploying AI across Europe.” 

BSA is concerned that a narrow interpretation of sovereignty could limit Europe’s access to global innovation. 

“While we acknowledge the EU’s ambition to strengthen its digital infrastructure and reduce reliance on non-EU infrastructure or providers, this must not come at the cost of cutting off trusted non-European providers from the EU market,” added Thomas Boué. “A diverse digital ecosystem, including non-EU players, strengthens Europe's competitiveness, promotes innovation, and ultimately offers consumers and businesses access to the best cloud and AI solutions.” 

BSA supports the Commission’s focus on expanding high-performance computing and cloud capacity, areas that have long been bottlenecks for companies seeking to build and train advanced AI models in Europe. The call to develop AI Gigafactories, backed by public-private investment, is a step in the right direction. 

Equally important is ensuring that regulation supports, rather than slows, the adoption of AI across Europe’s economy. As the AI Act begins to take effect, many companies, especially SMEs, will need legal clarity and practical support to integrate AI into their operations. The planned AI Act Service Desk, along with broader consultation on regulatory burdens, are useful tools toward making adoption easier and more effective. 

BSA and its members have been closely involved in the development of the AI Act and have contributed to the drafting process of the Code of Practice for General Purpose AI models. We remain committed to helping Europe build a cloud and AI ecosystem that is secure, trusted and ready to deliver at scale.