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For years, artificial intelligence was presented as a tool to improve our lives: optimizing services, accelerating science, or making the economy more efficient. However, recent events have made one thing clear: governments no longer hide their interest in using AI as an instrument of power.
One of the most revealing episodes occurred at the beginning of the conflict between the United States and Iran. According to various reports, the Pentagon pressured Anthropic to remove the security limits on its systems. The objective: to facilitate the development of fully autonomous weapons and advanced mass surveillance systems. The company's refusal was firm and unequivocal. The government's response was equally decisive: labeling it a "risk" to national security.
This moment marks a turning point. It is no longer a matter of theoretical speculation about the risks of AI. We are facing a reality in which states are actively seeking to leverage its potential for social and military control. In other words, total power.
The most striking aspect is the contradiction. For years, the United States championed a narrative based on privacy, civil rights, and, to some extent, ethics. However, this episode suggests that these principles can be sidelined when strategic interests come into play.
Meanwhile, companies like OpenAI have reportedly shown a greater willingness to collaborate with government initiatives, which raises an uncomfortable question: to what extent does ethics compete with business in the development of artificial intelligence?
This scenario is not unique to the United States. Authoritarian regimes have been using technology to monitor and control their citizens for years. China's case is paradigmatic: facial recognition, social credit systems, and mass surveillance. What once seemed like a dystopia inspired by George Orwell's 1984 is now an increasingly sophisticated technological reality.
The difference is that democracies now appear to be following, at least partially, the same path.
In this context, Europe faces a critical decision. For decades, it has enjoyed stability, rights, and growth. But this model depends heavily on external actors in key technologies and on the geostrategic situation. Dependence on artificial intelligence, digital infrastructure, and defense poses a clear vulnerability.
Technological sovereignty is no longer an idealistic aspiration but a strategic necessity.
China has understood this for years, investing enormous resources to reduce its external dependence. It is true that its political system facilitates quick decisions without legal opposition. But the underlying message is clear: whoever controls technology controls their future.
For smaller countries, the challenge is greater, but not impossible. It requires a long-term vision, sustained investment, and, above all, clarity of priorities. Compromises and additional costs will have to be accepted, but the alternative may be far more expensive.
Today, the debate is no longer just technological. It is profoundly political and social. What rights are we willing to protect? What is the value of our privacy? What kind of society do we want to build in a world dominated by technology and artificial intelligence?
The global situation is uncertain. Now more than ever, we need realism, cool heads, and courageous decisions.
The question remains: Are we prepared to pay the price for our freedom?
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