Some European tech specialists who might have previously moved to the US are now focusing on defense startups closer to home. Others, on the contrary, are rushing back to Europe from abroad. Patriotic sentiments driven by the war in Ukraine, along with the undermining of security alliances by US President Donald Trump, have motivated many. Additionally, the situation presents new opportunities for profit as European governments increase defense spending.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For some specialists, the chance to work on advanced combat programs using artificial intelligence is also attractive. Reuters spoke with two dozen AI engineers, venture capitalists, government officials, and defense industry representatives in Europe. They noted that the growing interest in the defense tech sector reflects a shift in the political landscape \u2014 the US is increasingly distancing itself from its role as Europe’s security guarantor post-World War II.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“There are people who are genuinely focused on the mission. They want to impact the world, not just earn a high salary,” said Lo\u00efc Mujo, CEO of Paris-based Comand AI, which provides AI services for military needs. “These people are striving to change the course of European history and contribute to its recovery.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Despite prolonged ethical debates around the use of AI in combat situations, the technology is attracting investment. Comand AI raised $10 million in a funding round in December, while German company Alpine Eagle, which develops solutions to fight autonomous drones, raised \u20ac10 million in March. Mujo mentioned that the company recruited engineers and product managers from leading firms like OpenAI (creator of ChatGPT) and Palantir Technologies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Alpine Eagle plans to hire specialists in product development, engineering, business development, and sales to expand beyond Germany. “From a defense and security perspective, Europe is a huge market,” said CEO Jan-Hendrik Boelens.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Salaries in Europe are significantly lower than in the US: according to Glassdoor, Helsing \u2014 the only defense startup “unicorn” in Europe valued at over $1 billion \u2014 offers AI engineers up to $150,000 per year, while Palantir’s figure is $270,000, and Google’s is $380,000. Helsing declined to comment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In addition to poaching experienced specialists, companies like Comand AI, Helsing, and Alpine Eagle are actively hiring young graduates. Stelios Koroneos, founder of Greek defense startup variene.ai, noted that the war in Ukraine has reduced the stigma around the defense industry among young engineers. “Young people are starting to realize that freedom is not free,” he said. “Some defend it with weapons, others with the knowledge and technologies they create.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Julian Dirkes, a 27-year-old PhD student at RWTH Aachen University, is researching reinforcement learning \u2014 a method that allows AI to make autonomous decisions. It has wide applications in defense. “For me, it’s important that my research helps protect European democracies,” he said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":4674,"template":"","acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n