Steering AI Investment

As governments increase spending on AI, new questions emerge: does public funding translate into public value? Who benefits from large-scale AI investments and under what conditions?  How do public–private partnerships redistribute risks and rewards between the public sector and tech companies? And how do industry influence and geopolitical competition shape funding priorities?

This line of work explores how investment decisions—not regulation alone—shape the development and direction of artificial intelligence in the EU, while situating these dynamics in a broader global context.

Our work focuses on making AI investment visible and contestable. By analyzing funding flows, procurement choices, and policy frameworks, we aim to strengthen democratic oversight of AI investment and help steer public resources toward outcomes that serve the public interest—including transparency, openness, environmental sustainability, and respect for fundamental rights.