Former Nokia boss warns of hostile digital shutdowns as Brussels intensifies efforts to reduce Europe's dependence on foreign tech
HELSINKI – Europe risks becoming dependent on foreign AI providers in much the same way it once lost control of the mobile technology market after Nokia’s decline, Finnish technology leaders are warning, as the EU steps up efforts to bolster tech sovereignty.
Few people are better placed to draw that comparison than Risto Siilasmaa, who chaired Nokia from 2012 to 2020 and led the company through one of the most difficult periods in its history.
On the eve of the 2013 sale of Nokia’s handset division to Microsoft, Siilasmaa warned his wife and children they might need to leave the country for a while, anticipating a fierce public backlash. As chairman of Finland’s most important company, he knew the reaction could be intense. Once globally dominant in mobile technology, Nokia was not just a business but a symbol of national success.
More than a decade later, Siilasmaa believes Europe faces a different but related challenge. This time, the technology is AI.
