Support pacing self-recursive frontier models while continuing European AI capacity, computing investment and adoption. [1][2]
Initial statement. Research draft; independent adversarial review and human editorial approval remain separate.
Source [1] · Original statement
2026 State of the Union Address by President von der Leyen
Attributed to: Ursula von der Leyen · European External Action Service
Statement
“And I will invite the main frontier labs for a discussion on how we can support ongoing industry efforts to pace the frontier.”
Artificial Intelligence section, paragraph after Canada/UK security evaluation and verification discussion · View original source ↗
Source context. Official complete speech transcript, Strasbourg 16.09.2026. Prior paragraph says CEOs call to slow self-recursive models and pace frontier, then “If the people developing the technology are clear, then we should be too.” Later explicitly promotes computing and adoption.
Scope
Industry efforts to pace frontier development, specifically self-recursive models.
Conditions
Safety controls and evaluation; Europe still needs its own national-security capabilities and substantially more computing.
Stated rationale
Interpret only the verified passage in its stated scope; do not infer pace from identity, optimism, risk concern or deployment policy.
Source details
primary · Independently opened original source; Grok is not evidence.
Discovered 3 Oct 2026.
Published 16 Sep 2026.
Accessed 3 Oct 2026.
Source [2] · Original statement
Speech at the Artificial Intelligence Action Summit
Attributed to: Ursula von der Leyen · European Commission
Published
“First, we want to accelerate innovation.”
Page 2, opening paragraph; subsequent AI Gigafactories paragraph · View original source ↗
Source context. Official prepared speech, marked check against delivery, Paris 11 February 2025. Adjacent paragraph explicitly funds AI Gigafactories to train very large models; broader innovation words not alone generalized to world-wide acceleration.
Scope
European AI innovation, including infrastructure to train very large models.
Conditions
Open cooperative European approach; simpler unified AI Act rules.
Stated rationale
Interpret only the verified passage in its stated scope; do not infer pace from identity, optimism, risk concern or deployment policy.
Source details
primary · Prepared remarks publication/date stated on PDF; actual delivery of verbatim prepared words not independently audited.
Discovered 3 Oct 2026.
Published 11 Feb 2025.
Accessed 3 Oct 2026.
Editorial assessment. February 11 2025 speech explicitly accelerates European innovation and funds gigafactories to train very large models. September 16 2026 distinguishes slowing self-recursive models from staying in the race and boosting European computing; not a halt on all AI. Unresolved: None. No human publication approval. The 2025 innovation/infrastructure promotion is scope context, not classified as capability-rate acceleration.