Austria has proposed that the European Union explore the possibility of hosting AI company Anthropic within the bloc, as concerns grow over U.S. efforts to restrict foreign access to the company’s most advanced artificial intelligence models.
The proposal was outlined in a letter sent by Austria’s State Secretary for Digitalization, Alexander Proell, to EU Technology Commissioner Henna Virkkunen. In the letter, Proell said it was important to ensure that Europe is not cut off from major technological innovations.
Proell called on the European Union to jointly examine the strategic establishment and participation of Anthropic within EU borders, pointing to the bloc’s potential advantages, including legal certainty, market access, capital, and a values framework that could align with the company’s direction.
While the Austrian official did not explain how such a move could be implemented, he acknowledged that the proposal would likely face skepticism over whether it is realistically achievable.
However, Proell argued that the key question is not whether the step would be easy, but whether Europe is prepared to shape its own technological future rather than remain dependent on decisions made elsewhere.
Anthropic did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the Austrian proposal.
The move comes as the European Commission is seeking to strengthen the bloc’s domestic cloud, AI, and semiconductor industries, while reducing reliance on major U.S. technology companies. Earlier this month, the Commission proposed new laws aimed at supporting Europe’s strategic technology sectors, despite criticism from the U.S. government over the EU’s regulatory approach toward American tech firms.
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