If sovereignty is to remain meaningful, it must shift from a defensive model of self-reliance to a vision that emphasizes the concept of orchestration, balancing national autonomy with strategic partnership.
Why infrastructure-first strategies hit walls
A November survey by Accenture found that 62% of European organizations are now seeking sovereign AI solutions, driven primarily by geopolitical anxiety rather than technical necessity. That figure rises to 80% in Denmark and 72% in Germany. The European Union has appointed its first Commissioner for Tech Sovereignty.
This year, $475 billion is flowing into AI data centers globally. In the United States, AI data centers accounted for roughly one-fifth of GDP growth in the second quarter of 2025. But the obstacle for other nations hoping to follow suit isn’t just money. It’s energy and physics. Global data center capacity is projected to hit 130 gigawatts by 2030, and for every $1 billion spent on these facilities, $125 million is needed for electricity networks. More than $750 billion in planned investment is already facing grid delays.
And it’s also talent. Researchers and entrepreneurs are mobile, drawn to ecosystems with access to capital, competitive wages, and rapid innovation cycles. Infrastructure alone won’t attract or retain world-class talent.
What works: An orchestrated sovereignty
What nations need isn’t sovereignty through isolation but through specialization and orchestration. This means choosing which capabilities you build, which you pursue through partnership, and where you can genuinely lead in shaping the global AI landscape.
The most successful AI strategies don’t try to replicate Silicon Valley; they identify specific advantages and build partnerships around them.