"Artificial Intelligence": Ursula von der Leyen as a parrot of the tech bosses

Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, is facing criticism for echoing exaggerated claims about Artificial Intelligence (AI) made by tech industry leaders. This controversy highlights concerns about the direction of EU digital policy. Scientists are urging the EU to critically assess AI developments instead of aligning with tech industry hype. Von der Leyen stated in a speech at the EU budget conference in Brussels that AI would approach human understanding "next year". This claim is strongly contested by AI researchers and academics. They argue that such statements are unsubstantiated and driven by marketing from US technology companies, and call for the Commission to scrutinize the tech industry's claims. This situation affects the broader debate on the EU's digital strategy and its approach to AI regulation. The incident raises questions about the influence of tech companies on policy. The scientists' letter urges the Commission to prioritize scientific analysis and independent assessment of AI capabilities, rather than repeating unverified claims. The call for more critical engagement with AI development suggests a potential shift towards a more cautious and evidence-based approach to digital policy within the EU. The Commission has been asked to provide the scientific facts behind its claims but instead cited blog posts and conference statements by tech leaders.