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# Creating Europe's AI Moment – Now or Never


- **Date:** Thursday, Jul 9, 2026
- **Time:** 12:50–13:20 (30 min)
- **Room:** Tech Leaders Stage
- **Event:** World Congress 2026 Europe

## Recording

[Watch recording](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/100059-creating-europe-s-ai-moment-now-or-never)

## Description

Europe has the talent, the research and the industry, but turning that into global AI leadership is another matter. This panel brings industry and policy to the same table to ask what it would really take for Europe to lead rather than follow. An honest look at where Europe stands and what has to change.

## Speakers

### [Antonella Mei-Pochtler](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/@antonella-mei-pochtler)

CEO and Executive Chairwoman of Pochtler Industrieholding
### [Thomas Jarzombek](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/@thomas-jarzombek)

Parliamentary State Secretary to the Federal Minister for Digital Transformation and Government Modernisation
### [Thomas Saueressig](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/@thomas-saueressig)

CCO and Member of the Executive Board of SAP SE 
### [Jasper Bennink](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/@jasper-bennink)

Tech Reporter at POLITICO


## Related talks at this congress

- [The integrated AI experience: A New Paradigm in an Agentic World](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/events/world-congress-2026-europe/sessions/1088-the-integrated-ai) — Loredana Crisan, Markus Rautert, Stefan Ostwald, Anna Heim
- [Angstfreude - AI and Corporate Culture - The Thrill and the Threat](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/events/world-congress-2026-europe/sessions/1388-angstfreude-ai-and) — Axel Ebert, Karin Krobath
- [The Agentic Enterprise: Orchestrating People, AI, and European Sovereignty](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/events/world-congress-2026-europe/sessions/1441-the-agentic) — Sebastian Kister
- [The Last Mile of AI: From Prototype to Production](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/events/world-congress-2026-europe/sessions/1233-the-last-mile-of-ai) — Clemens Wasner, Holger Hammel, Martin Remmelgas, Max Jacobson, Marius Cosareanu