Global trade in artificial intelligence technologies has nearly quadrupled over the last decade, sparking urgent warnings that Europe is falling into a dangerous state of digital dependency.

A new joint study by Austrian credit insurer Acredia and Allianz Trade reveals that AI is rapidly reshaping global supply chains, trade flows, and geopolitical power dynamics. According to the data, global trade in AI-related goods skyrocketed from roughly $1 trillion to $3.8 trillion over the past ten years. These tech products and vital infrastructure components now command a massive 15% share of all global goods traded, News.Az reports, citing Anadolu Agency.

However, the boom is exposing a widening gap between global tech superpowers and Europe. The report highlights that Asia currently controls the lion's share of the value chain—dominating everything from semiconductor manufacturing and storage technologies to data centers. Meanwhile, the U.S. continues to pump billions into cloud infrastructure, computing power, and massive digital platforms.

The contrast is stark: Europe’s operational data center capacity is now roughly four times lower than that of the U.S.

“The global race for artificial intelligence has long since become a race for infrastructure, data, and economic influence,” says Michael Kolb, a member of the Acredia Executive Board. “Whoever controls the chips, data centers, and platforms will also control significant portions of global value creation in the future."

As European businesses increasingly rely on external AI services, American "hyperscalers" are cementing their dominance over Europe's cloud and data infrastructure. The study warns this dynamic could result in billions of euros flowing out of Europe and into the hands of U.S. providers every year.

The consequences stretch far beyond tech budgets. With rising political tensions and trade conflicts threatening to disrupt supply chains and spike prices, the authors warn that AI supply chains have officially become the "geopolitical nerve center of the global economy."

Without a sharp pivot toward digital sovereignty, experts fear Europe risks transitioning from a global industrial powerhouse into a mere "digital tenant" of foreign tech giants, severely crippling its long-term competitiveness and innovation.

News.Az 

By Aysel Mammadzada