LISBON: The European Union must rethink security to take into account challenges and risks posed by the growing power of major technology companies that go beyond traditional competition concerns, European Commission Executive Vice-President Teresa Ribera said on Monday. "We need to review and to deepen our concept of security, including cybersecurity," Ribera told reporters in Lisbon, arguing that testing and monitoring devices connected to critical infrastructure was no longer sufficient and that security means also ensuring that the Big Tech companies are "governed by democratic and transparent patterns".
"We need to be quite quick in the deployment of these new approaches. This is one of the most critical topics for security, for democracy, and for our values," she said.
Ribera cited recent cyberattacks in Europe that caused refrigerators to overheat, disrupted transport services and interfered with electoral processes, including in Moldova, but declined to specifically comment on recent security-related cases involving Nvidia and OpenAI. Nvidia is investigating allegations that Chief Executive Jensen Huang was targeted by a foreign intelligence effort linked to China, while US authorities have arrested a former OpenAI engineer on espionage-related allegations.
The European Commission official emphasized that the digital landscape is evolving at a pace that traditional regulatory frameworks struggle to match. She noted that the integration of artificial intelligence into public services and private infrastructure creates new vulnerabilities that state actors and criminal syndicates are increasingly exploiting.
"When we talk about security today, we are not just talking about physical borders or military defense. We are talking about the integrity of our data, the stability of our power grids, and the sanctity of our democratic institutions," Ribera added during the press briefing.
Experts suggest that the EU's push for stricter governance over Big Tech is part of a broader strategy to maintain digital sovereignty. By demanding transparency, the Commission hopes to prevent the monopolization of critical technologies that could be weaponized against European interests.
The call for a security overhaul comes as the EU prepares to implement new directives aimed at strengthening the resilience of digital networks. These measures are expected to impose stricter compliance requirements on tech giants operating within the bloc.
As the investigation into the Nvidia and OpenAI incidents continues, the international community remains focused on how these developments will shape future cybersecurity policies. The EU's proactive stance signals a shift toward a more interventionist approach in managing the risks associated with the digital age.