Jensen Huang tells Europe to prioritize AI growth over regulation

While speaking in Berlin alongside German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Huang pushed back against the instinct to govern the underlying mechanics of AI. He suggested that policymakers should instead focus on regulating specific applications, drawing a parallel to how governments manage internet-based products. "There's nothing to regulate if the industry doesn't thrive," Huang noted, urging officials to foster domestic innovation rather than stalling progress with restrictive oversight. Merz acknowledged the tension, suggesting that while Europe is searching for a middle ground, it remains wary of a purely hands-off approach.

Beyond policy, Huang targeted what he perceives as a pervasive cultural hesitation. In London, he criticized a "strange general behavior" among the British, suggesting that the nation often fixates on potential failure rather than seizing opportunity. He urged European leaders to leverage their existing industrial and engineering strengths, particularly in robotics and manufacturing. Huang framed the next phase of the AI race as distinctly physical, asserting that the continent’s traditional industrial expertise could be its greatest asset if matched with faster adoption. With Nvidia currently dominating the hardware market powering the AI boom, Huang’s urgency reflects a desire to see governments accelerate infrastructure deployment before the window for competitive innovation closes.