Open-weight Chinese AI models gain foothold in Europe despite Brussels’ trepidation

European businesses are increasingly weighing whether cheap but capable Chinese artificial intelligence systems represent a new threat to the continent’s technological sovereignty or a practical tool to strengthen it.

While using Chinese technology might seem counterintuitive to Europe’s goals, running open-weight Chinese models on local servers can actually give firms greater operational control than relying on proprietary US services, according to a Germany-based consultant.

“A...