tech
April 17, 2026
The AI Interview: Sasha Rubel
Sasha Rubel, Head of AI Policy for EMEA at AWS, highlights the urgent need for Europe to move from AI experimentation to transformation
TL;DR
- Europe faces a critical need to move from AI experimentation to advanced AI integration for core business processes.
- While AI adoption has risen to 54% among European businesses, only 22% are using it in advanced ways.
- Companies at advanced AI stages report 62% productivity gains, compared to 40% for those experimenting.
- Failure to advance AI use could cost Europe €191bn in gross value added by 2030.
- Key barriers include regulatory complexity, a widening AI skills gap, and chronic underinvestment.
- Startups are leading AI adoption, with 78% prepared for next-generation AI tools compared to 19% of businesses overall.
- Three crucial policy interventions are proposed: making the public sector a flagship AI adopter, incentivizing investment and simplifying access to capital, and building AI readiness from the ground up through education and upskilling.
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