Former Italian official warns AI is a new gateway for Chinese influence (decode39.com)

• Volpi warns of Chinese AI influence via subtle, incremental dependencies
• Calls for European strategic autonomy in AI and computing infrastructure
• Highlights the risk of cognitive backdoor through perceived neutrality of AI

"Raffaele Volpi, former Italian Undersecretary of Defence, argues in a commentary that artificial intelligence has become a strategic influence channel, making tech choices inseparable from national security. He warns that Chinese AI ecosystems enter through small, visible decisions like industrial partnerships and cloud services, creating dependency over time. Volpi rejects equidistance between Washington and Beijing, calling instead for autonomous European capabilities in computing, AI models, and semiconductors to preserve strategic sovereignty."