Brussels AI Safety Meetup - Can the EU Shape Global AI Safety?
Join us on Tuesday, 10 December at 18:30 at Commons Hub Brussels for an evening exploring the EU’s influence on global AI safety and governance.
🌍 The Brussels Effect in AI: Can the EU Shape Global AI Safety?
When the EU began drafting the AI Act, many wondered whether we might see another "Brussels effect": could Europe leverage its regulatory track record and market power to shape how safe and trustworthy AI is built worldwide?
But AI seems to present a unique challenge. The technology is advancing at unprecedented speed, reshaping entire sectors faster than institutions can adapt, and introducing emerging risks that weren't even on policymakers' radars a few years ago.
With most cutting-edge development happening in the US and China, the picture gets even more complex. Does the EU still have meaningful leverage over technologies this transformative? Can European rules actually influence how the most capable (and potentially most dangerous) AI models are developed and deployed? Or is this a domain where the traditional Brussels Effect starts to lose its grip?
To help us navigate these questions, we’ll hear 3 lightning talks from:
Patrick Birken (Portland) on lessons learned from GDPR
Nick Reiners (Eurasia Group) on how the AI Act is viewed internationally and what geopolitics might change
Koen Holtman (AI Standards Lab) on what implementation looks like from the standards side
🗓️ Schedule
18:30 | Arrivals
18:45 | Lightning talks followed by a short Q&A session
19:45 | Reception : Continue the conversation over drinks and light food.
Join us to explore these questions alongside policy professionals, technologists, and others interested in how Europe can shape safe AI development. Looking forward to seeing you!
This event is presented by BlueDot Impact, a nonprofit dedicated to advancing AI safety by training and connecting talented people to work on technical, policy, and societal challenges. Since 2021, BlueDot has trained over 5,000 people worldwide, with 1000 already working in high impact roles at places such as Anthropic, Google DeepMind, and the UK’s AI Security Institute.
We are delighted to be hosted at Commons Hub Brussels, a citizen-led community centre at the heart of Brussels.