EU tech chief Virkkunen says AI chip work must stay with trusted partners

Speaking at Web Summit in Lisbon, Henna Virkkunen tied Europe's chip ambitions to a tighter circle of allies Europe wants to build more of its own AI chips. It also wants to be very picky about who gets to help. On November 10, 2026, Henna Virkkunen, the European Commission’s tech chief, told the Web Summit audience in Lisbon that the EU should work only with highly trusted partners on AI microchips and related technologies. The goal, as she framed it, is to keep sensitive technology from leaking out of the room. The timing was not subtle. Her remarks came in the wake of a Chinese spy scandal involving Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, an episode that has put fresh attention on technology leaks and weak points in the chip supply chain. A shorter guest list for Europe’s chip party Virkkunen identified the US as the EU’s closest ally in security and technology. That matters because Europe still leans heavily on outside suppliers for the most advanced AI chips. Its dependence on US and Asian producers for leading-edge hardware remains significant, and Brussels has been trying to change that without cutting itself off from the innovations it needs. The money and the legislation behind the rheto...