For over twenty years, France and Europe have methodically deconstructed their digital sovereignty. Today, as global ideological and economic divides deepen, our dependence on American infrastructure is no longer a simple technical subject : this is a strategic vulnerability. Are we ready to react if, tomorrow, access to our daily tools was cut off ? Decryption of Anaïs Sery (Meeting Marketing Consulting).
In a constantly changing world, it’s time to get out of a certain naivety. We have settled into risky comfort by delegating our infrastructure, our software and our research to the giants across the Atlantic. However, the American president has direct decision-making power over these technologies, and he has already proven that he can use it as a real lever of political and financial influence.
Nvidia : when the White House collects commissions
Let’s take the example of Nvidia. Today, it is one of the companies with the largest market capitalization in the world — more than $4 trillion., that makes them zeros... But even such a colossus is not immune to sovereign decisions. In an unprecedented movement, The Trump administration imposed a 15% federal levy on all proceeds from chip exports to China. Even more striking : while licenses are granted for less efficient models, Blackwell chips — Nvidia’s current technological pinnacle — remain strictly prohibited from export to the Chinese market. This is proof that technological power, as huge as it is, is totally subject to Washington's Realpolitik. If a government can thus “monetize” the right to export of a national flagship and ban its most innovative products, what guarantees us the maintenance of our own access in the event of diplomatic tensions ?
China's response
To fight against this form of embargo, China mobilized its national champions, Huawei and tête, to create your own chips. The result is clear : Chinese companies specializing in AI, totally unknown just a few months ago, are now able to create extremely high-performance models at much lower costs, And this, without any American infrastructure. This is the case of Zhipu AI, which demonstrates that a complete technological alternative is possible when sovereignty becomes a political and industrial priority.
The era of Big Tech : a broadened horizon
I prefer to use the term Big Tech here rather than GAFAM. For what ? Because it better describes current reality : it includes Nvidia and other major US companies, but also the Chinese giants. This term encompasses these global ecosystems on which we have become dependent for almost all of our business processes.. Faced with this omnipresence, passive observation places us in a situation of extreme risk. It’s no longer a matter of waiting to see how the landscape evolves, but to anticipate a possible fragmentation of global digital.
Forewarned is forearmed
It is not a question of switching to radical digital autarky overnight. The challenge lies in preparation. As leaders, it is up to us to take the lead and resolutely engage in this strategic reflection. Think now about European alternatives, even if we don't put them in place immediately, is a vital necessity. Because a strategy, no matter how brilliant it is on paper, loses all its value without a concrete implementation capacity in case of emergency.
• Identify breaking points : what are the essential services whose shutdown would instantly paralyze your business ?
• Map alternatives : what European solutions already exist ? Players like Mistral AI or OVHcloud are concrete options for building a backup plan.
• Anticipate so as not to suffer : having an identified “Plan B” allows you to act with the necessary speed in the event of a major crisis. Think ahead, it’s giving yourself the luxury of not panicking the day the tap is turned off.
From addiction to resilience
Digital sovereignty should no longer be seen as an abstract concept, but as a guarantee of sustainability for our structures. At a time when access can become a lever of pressure, preparation is our only true protection.
