Microsoft exec on Southern Europe’s big AI moment: skills — not technology — will determine who leads the region’s AI future

The global economy is entering a new phase of artificial intelligence where success will depend on how economies translate technology into productivity, rather than just having powerful models. Southern Europe countries, including Greece, Portugal, and Italy, are working to become AI hubs by combining human capital with public and private infrastructure. Microsoft believes Greece is positioned as an innovation hub, supported by initiatives like GR for GRowth that aim to train people in digital skills.