As Trump’s America goes it alone on AI, middle powers must find a workaround

As Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney visited Europe this week, he had the opportunity to flesh out the idea of an "alliance of middle powers" he proposed in January. This concept involves countries beyond China and the US setting their own global agenda and making a worldwide impact. The recent coordinated effort by a dozen states, including Britain, Canada, and France, to ban trade with Israeli settlements in the West Bank is an example of what such an alliance could achieve.

The move was both coordinated at a wide level and deep enough to adopt clear common measures that are likely to hurt the target. This collective move not only overcame EU inertia on Israeli violations but also addressed domestic pressures each leader faced. When Carney called for a middle powers alliance to respond to the fracturing of the US-led world order, he faced skepticism from globalists.

However, on his plane to Europe, he would likely explore areas for the agenda's expansion. One such area is AI, where middle powers can carve out a position of strength by pooling their individual strengths and projecting them collectively. US President Donald Trump recently imposed controls on the AI industry, which affirmed his belief in the need for individual action rather than coordination with allies.

The UK is the third-largest player in AI behind the US and China, while French AI firm Mistral raised $3.5 billion for its data center ambitions. European firms like ASML produce essential technology for the AI boom, and European firms are encouraged to consider homegrown advantages to maintain control over data. Anthropic, an AI company, recently refused the UK AI Safety Institute access to its latest offering.

British Labour MP Emily Darlington, who discussed the importance of acting together in the current AI debate, emphasized the promise of a trusted network that creates peace, security, and economic opportunity. Carney's proposal for a "Defence Bank" to fund industry growth is another agenda item he is bringing to Europe.