Europe Is Leading the Way in AI and Machine Learning (and Even Silicon Valley Wants In)

by Victoria Woollaston,  Wired.co.uk 

When it comes to advances in AI, machine learning, VR and AR, drones, robotics and 3D printing, Europe is either leading the way, or is on par with the likes of the US. Since the start of 2015, $2.3 billion has been invested into deep tech in Europe and 2016 is on track for $1 billion – four times the amount in 2011. Since 2011 the U.K. has invested $1.3 billion in deep tech, more than any other European country, according to Dealroom.co data.

Berlin is Europe’s leading hub for AI, virtual reality, and augmented reality developments. “A new generation of entrepreneurs has been inspired by Europe’s strong AI companies, and founders are now building their own their own machine intelligence, computer vision, and other deep tech startups,” notes Atomico partner Siraj Khaliq. “They’ve found that there’s plenty of talent here in Europe to make it happen, and the ecosystem is ready to power this deep tech revolution.”

U.S. companies are establishing European branches, with Alphabet setting up Swiss and London hubs and Apple building bases in France, Germany, Sweden, and the U.K. “I’m seeing this deep thinking, not just in the UK, but also in Berlin, where they’re bringing together the AI community and crypto scene to rethink some of the core questions around decentralised systems” says Exponential View founder Azeem Azhar. “They’re not just looking into blockchain, but also into InterPlanetary File Systems (IPFS) – their work is certainly ambitious!” Read the report.