Artificial intelligence and European identity: the European Commission’s struggle for reconciliation

Abstract

ABSTRACT The European Commission (EC) has recently developed its AI strategy which aims to develop and mobilize for a European version of AI. This article seeks to generate an in-depth understanding of how the EC frames its AI version as distinctively European. A frame and content analysis methodology is used for understanding how the EC struggles to reconcile AI and European identity. European identity consists of European historical narratives, different societal and political purposes and values. It is found that the EC seeks to legitimize the European AI alternative through beneficial outputs and narratives based on historic technological leadership and that via framing practices the EC tries to foster European integration. This paper concludes that the EC's communication efforts are inconsistent and might not be sufficient to generate trust in AI among the European public.