At a keynote event in Stuttgart on June 25, 2025, Bosch CEO Stefan Hartung delivered a pointed warning to European regulators: excessive and unclear legislation around artificial intelligence could severely hinder Europe’s ability to compete globally. Speaking to an audience of business leaders and policymakers, Hartung stressed that while the EU’s intentions to build “trustworthy AI” are noble, the region must avoid creating barriers so complex that innovation grinds to a halt. “We’re already seeing startups hesitate to launch in Europe due to compliance uncertainty,” he noted.
Bosch, one of Europe’s largest industrial tech firms and a leader in AI patents, is currently investing €2.5 billion in AI through 2027, with strategic priorities in autonomous driving, smart manufacturing, and energy efficiency. Hartung urged the EU to learn from the U.S. and China, where governments are embracing more flexible, use-case-driven frameworks. He called for “lean, focused, and technologically informed regulation”, warning that Europe’s competitiveness in AI—already behind—could further erode if policies are dictated more by fear than by innovation goals.
In parallel, Europe has earmarked over €200 billion in AI-related public funding, but experts say that without better coordination and simpler regulatory paths, much of this capital may be underutilized. Hartung proposed the creation of “AI innovation sandboxes” across the EU, where companies can test new technologies without being bogged down by early-stage compliance requirements. He also emphasized the importance of retaining AI talent, many of whom are being lured to the U.S. and Asia by better funding and fewer bureaucratic hurdles. The speech sparked immediate reactions from Brussels, with some policymakers hinting at potential amendments to the AI Act’s implementation roadmap.
