Inside OpenAI – What can Europe learn from the world's most famous AI company?

OpenAI has become the world’s most famous artificial intelligence company. For many European policy makers, the developer of ChatGPT represents what Europe lacks in terms of competitiveness and geopolitical autonomy: large AI champions capable of boosting AI innovation across entire industries through vast data and computational power. 

As European governments prepare to invest billions in their domestic AI sectors—and as AI technologies keep evolving rapidly—we should ask: Should OpenAI’s technological approach and governance structure serve as a model for Europe’s AI ambitions—or as a cautionary tale? What alternative paths could Europe pursue?

These critical questions will be at the center of our 60-minute discussion with Karen Hao. Karen is the author of the forthcoming book Empire of AI (to be published May 20, 2025), the first comprehensive account of OpenAI’s evolution from a nonprofit research lab to a dominant force at the center of the global AI race. She studied mechanical engineering at MIT and now covers AI as a journalist, formerly serving as the Wall Street Journal’s correspondent for technology in China.

Please sign up to join the conversation and Q&A with Karen.

 📅 Date: June 2nd 2025
📍 Location: Online
🕒 Time: 3:00-4:00pm CET