U.S. Warns Europe on AI Decoupling Amid Tech Tensions

During the economic security forum held in Brussels on June 4-5, 2026, U.S. Ambassador Andrew Puzder cautioned European policymakers against drifting away from Washington in the context of a growing geopolitical tech war, particularly concerning artificial intelligence (AI).

He argued that Europe should not pursue policies that would decouple from the U.S. but instead maintain a deep partnership for security and competitiveness against China. The European Union's recent strategy aims to reduce reliance on foreign technology, which Puzder warned could sideline American enterprises.

The EU's Cloud AI Development Act, adopted on June 2, 2026, seeks to strengthen domestic digital capacity but has raised concerns about protectionism. Meanwhile, Nigeria is positioning itself for technological independence, emphasizing the importance of local data hosting and careful sourcing of hardware to protect its digital sovereignty amidst the transatlantic rift.