Europe's defence start-ups target Al talent

Ukraine war reduces arms industry stigma

- SUPANTHA MUKHERJEE MICHAEL KAHN ELIZABETH HOWCROFT

Some European tech workers who might once have headed to the United States are looking at defence start-ups closer to home. Others are rushing back to Europe from jobs abroad.

A sense of patriotism stirred by the war in Ukraine and US President Donald Trump's upending of security alliances is a motivation for many, as well as the opportunity to make money as European governments boost military spending.

For others, it's the appeal of working on cutting-edge battlefield applications that use artificial intelligence.

Reuters spoke to two dozen Al engineers, venture capital firms, government officials and defence companies in Europe who said the influx of tech talent reflected a changed political landscape as the United States retreats from its post-World War II role as guarantor of Europe's defences.

"There are people that are really mission-focused, and what they want to do in their life is to have an impact and not only earn a big salary," said Loïc Mougeolle, CEO of Paris-based battlefield Al provider Comand AI.

"They're really motivated to have an impact rebuilding Europe and change the course of history for Europe." There are longstanding ethical concerns about the use of Al in battlefield contexts. But the technology appeals to investors: Comand AI raised $10 million in a December funding round, while Germany's Alpine Eagle, which focuses on technology to counter autonomous drones, raised €10 million ($11.4 million) in March.

Amid intense competition for AI talent, Mr Mougeolle said Comand AI has recruited engineers and product managers from US-based ChatGPT maker OpenAI and data analytics provider Palantir Technologies.

THE COST OF FREEDOM

Alpine Eagle plans to hire across product, engineering, business development and sales as it looks to expand outside Germany. "Europe, in terms of defence and also public security, is a huge market," CEO Jan-Hendrik Boelens told Reuters.