Greek PM admits governments unprepared for AI's impact during SF tech visit
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, during a San Francisco trade mission, acknowledged that no government is fully ready for AI's consequences. He highlighted Greece's investments in digital infrastructure, including a new supercomputer and an online government portal, funded by EU recovery funds. He also noted Greece's improved economic standing, with lower borrowing costs than the US.
Greece's economic rebound is clear: it will regain MSCI developed-market status next year, and its 10-year bond yield is about 4.3%, versus 40% during the 2012 crisis. The EU's €36 billion recovery fund largely funded digital infrastructure—a new supercomputer in Lavrio and an online government portal. Tax reforms on stock options, looser labor laws, and tax breaks for returnees aim to attract tech firms.
Mitsotakis seeks to win back talent lost during the debt crisis, though visa processing remains slow. He noted public universities now spin out startups. On AI, he admitted no finished plan, calling a social-media ban for under-15s potentially outdated given AI chatbots' addictive nature. He also questioned AI in classrooms, worrying about children growing up with digital companions.
Mitsotakis's candid admission that governments lack answers for AI's societal effects may signal a broader global policy gap. As AI chatbots become more immersive, children's social development and mental health could be impacted, especially if bans on social media prove outdated. Economic incentives like tax breaks may attract tech talent, but without robust regulatory frameworks, societies could face uneven adoption, leaving vulnerable groups—particularly youth—exposed to unregulated digital companions and classroom AI tools.