Ask HN: Should US Offer Free LLMs to Europe to Counter China Influence?
1 grillitob 1 7/24/2025, 10:14:01 AM
I propose the U.S. provide free LLMs (for individuals/small businesses) to Europe, conditional on avoiding Chinese models — provided U.S. LLMs are at least as capable.
This could preempt China’s potential retaliation (e.g., subsidizing their LLMs) while strengthening Western AI alignment.
Alternatively, Europe might mandate local LLMs to retain independence, though this could limit competitiveness.
Is this realistic? Historically, tech dominance has hinged on early adoption (e.g., cloud wars). Could AI follow a similar path?
The real issue is one of trust. The US has lost, and continues to lose, a great deal of trust and respect internationally, and China continues to look better by comparison. If your concern is countering China, then that's what has to be addressed.