PARIS—Vice President JD Vance made his international debut this week at a high-stakes artificial intelligence summit in Paris, marking his first appearance as VP on the world stage.
The event, co-hosted by France and India, convened world leaders, top tech executives, and policymakers to forge a unified framework for AI governance. However, the summit also laid bare the deep philosophical divide between the United States and the European Union’s (EU) approaches to AI regulation.
For some European policymakers, AI governance must be “fair” and integrate considerations such as climate and gender policies, an approach that necessitates regulation. Washington champions an innovation-first approach, emphasizing free speech and market-driven development.
Speaking from the historic Grand Palais, Vance made clear where the United States stands.
“I’m not here to talk about AI safety,” he said. “I’m here to talk about AI opportunity.”
Vance framed AI not as a looming threat but as a technological revolution.
“We face the extraordinary prospect of a new industrial revolution—one on par with the invention of the steam engine or Bessemer steel. But it will never come to pass if overregulation deters innovators from taking the risks necessary to advance the ball.”
He took direct aim at the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA), a law that imposes strict oversight on online content, particularly regarding what EU regulators classify as “misinformation.” Figures such as Elon Musk have vocally opposed the DSA, accusing Brussels of curbing free speech. Echoing this sentiment, Vance warned of creeping government control over digital discourse.
“It is one thing to prevent a predator from preying on a child on the internet,” he said. “It is something quite different to prevent a grown man or woman from accessing an opinion that the government thinks is misinformation.”
Turning to global competition, Vance also issued a warning about AI collaborations with China, though he did not name the country explicitly.
“Partnering with them means chaining your nation to an authoritarian master that seeks to infiltrate, dig in, and seize your information infrastructure,” he said.
Vance also paid tribute to the longstanding Franco-American alliance. During a visit to Les Invalides, he held the sword of the Marquis de Lafayette, the French hero of the American Revolution. Drawing a historical parallel, he warned against self-imposed technological constraints.
“If we choose the wrong approach on AI, if we choose to hold ourselves back out of fear, we won’t just alter our GDP or the stock market. We will alter the very future of the project that Lafayette and the American founders set out to create.”
Vance’s stance put him at odds with French President Emmanuel Macron, who defended the need for firm AI regulations.
“We need these rules for AI to move forward,” Macron said.
Later that day, the French president expanded on the EU vision for AI.
“We want more innovation in France and Europe, we want to accelerate, but we also want this innovation to uphold the model of society we believe in: a pluralistic, open, generous, free, and fair model that takes into account climate issues and gender issues.”
The United States and the United Kingdom notably abstained from signing the Paris Summit Declaration on “inclusive and sustainable” AI, a statement backed by 60 nations, including France, China, India, Japan, Australia, and Canada.
At the summit, Michiel Scheffer, president of the Board of the European Innovation Council (EIC), an EU body that provides policy input on innovation to the European Commission, disagreed with Vance’s position.
Scheffer told The Epoch Times a philosophical rift exists between the U.S. and EU approaches to AI.
“For instance, in aircraft component manufacturing, achieving exceptionally low error rates—around 0.0001 percent—is critical. The American approach prioritizes rapid development, tolerating initially high error margins with the expectation of iterative improvements. This is made possible by a flexible legal framework that encourages free experimentation.
“In contrast, Europe imposes stringent regulations, often requiring compliance with strict standards, such as a maximum error rate of 0.1 percent, before granting market access. In this landscape, regulation plays a decisive role.”
Regarding the DSA, Scheffer rejected claims that it equates to censorship.
“The DSA is not equivalent to censorship, except when a company fails to explain both how its algorithms function and whether they contain biases. Furthermore, any company managing an information network must take responsibility for preventing, reducing, or limiting the spread of misinformation.”
He also underscored the importance of information accuracy in health care, hinting at controversies surrounding COVID-19.
After delivering his speech, Vance left the Grand Palais before his counterparts offered their responses. Later, the vice president proceeded to the Élysée Palace for a breakfast meeting with Macron. According to a White House statement, their discussions spanned trade, AI development, and the war in Ukraine.
A French diplomatic source close to Macron told The Epoch Times that these direct meetings facilitate collaboration on shared challenges between the United States and France. The source also said Trump and Macron regularly talk on the phone.
“Trump and Macron regularly communicate bilaterally by phone, with President Trump directly reaching out to President Macron from his own device. Their most recent conversation was quite recent: We were with Macron when he suddenly received a call from Trump to discuss the situation in Ukraine.”
The source said these informal exchanges foster candid discussions.
“Nothing forces Trump to call Macron, so this is quite positive. And Macron has decided to adopt an attitude where he speaks with him as much as possible.”
On Wednesday, Vance shared on X a message of diplomatic goodwill: “Usha and I are extremely grateful to President Emmanuel Macron and his wife, Brigitte, for hosting us at the Palais de l'Élysée for lunch yesterday. America has a beautiful history of friendship with France, and we look forward to strengthening the bond between our countries.”
Later that day, Vance also met with EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. The White House described their discussions as focused on trade, cooperation on security issues, and global conflict resolutions, including efforts to “halt the carnage in Ukraine.”
The European Commission reported that von der Leyen “underscored the need for continued unity in providing unwavering support to Ukraine.” This reflects another known divergence in policy, as Vance has been critical of further U.S. aid to Ukraine.
Meanwhile, China’s Vice Premier Zhang Guoqing also attended the summit and held talks with Macron on the global governance of AI on Feb. 10.
According to the diplomatic source, the Chinese delegation adhered strictly to prepared statements.
“They took out a statement and read their text,” the source remarked. “Their communication was tightly controlled.”
As his final major engagement at the summit, JD Vance met with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. A White House statement noted that they “enjoyed coffee together and discussed topics of mutual interest, including how the United States can assist India in diversifying its energy sources through investments in clean, reliable U.S. nuclear technology.”
After the summit, Vance is set to attend the Munich Security Conference in Germany later this week. A spokesperson for the U.S. Embassy in Paris told The Epoch Times that “The U.S. Embassy in Paris was honored that Vice President Vance chose France for his first official visit overseas, which demonstrates the importance of the longstanding alliance between the United States and France.”
