The great AI divide: Europe vs. Silicon Valley

I recently returned from two weeks in Europe, where many conversations circled a similar theme: Europe’s struggle to keep pace in the AI era. In Lisbon, the former Portuguese finance minister Paulo Portas put it bluntly: “If Europe doesn’t innovate, it will become the museum of the world.”

This week’s Noema essay by Nathan Gardels captures that tension perfectly — the growing divide between America’s accelerationism and Europe’s caution. In the U.S., billions are pouring into AI infrastructure; in Europe, the focus remains on ethics, transparency, and control.

Gardels argues that both approaches are necessary: America’s restless innovation pushes humanity forward, while Europe’s restraint ensures progress remains humane. “AI differs from nuclear weapons because it is a foundational technology that will transform all aspects of life,” Gardels writes. “As such, it is not merely a technological achievement, but a cultural project. It is here that Europe’s precautionary temperament clashes with the accelerationist fever of Silicon Valley.”

Key quote: “Does this place Europe at a competitive disadvantage that will fatally impede its advance in AI? Or will Europe’s deliberative vigilance save humanity from handing over the keys of the kingdom to intelligent machines? The core conflict between America and its European geopolitical allies is their differing approaches to AI; the former seeks to ‘build first, regulate later,’ while the latter seeks to ‘regulate first, build later.'”

The investor who found freedom in focus

The investor Arnold Van Den Berg was born on the same street as Anne Frank. He survived the war as a hidden child while his parents were imprisoned in Auschwitz, and his father survived a death march by focusing only on one thing — moving his legs. “The mind has a power we don’t understand,” he told Arnold, a lesson that became the foundation of his son’s life.

Arnold recently spoke with William Green for his Richer, Wiser, Happier podcast, reflecting on the lessons of a long and extraordinary life.

Now 86, Arnold continues to study consciousness with the same intensity he once brought to markets. He believes happiness begins in the mind — in mastering it — and his daily affirmation reflects that philosophy: “I am a loving, kind person, and I am happy, healthy, wealthy, and wise.”

As he told William, the greatest joy of his life now comes from giving — sharing what he’s learned about truth, love, and resilience. For me, Arnold is a reminder that the deepest form of success is inner peace.

Key quote: “The force behind all progress and achievement is the energy created and applied by the mind. You are radiating power; by expanding your consciousness, you attract what you seek. The universe does not simply give — it offers you the power and the challenges through which you must create the conditions and resources you desire. You can have anything you truly want, provided you are willing to pay the price. You are the builder and director of your own life. Everything develops from within — through the mental and emotional forces you cultivate and control. Nothing that enters your experience has ever been, is now, or ever will be outside the reach of your own creation.”

OUTLAST field notes: The Outlastian metric

What if we stopped celebrating success and started celebrating what I’ve come to call the Outlastian?

Over the last few months, I’ve been traveling through workshops, vineyards, and dimly lit factories. The people I meet rarely speak publicly. They don’t give interviews. They don’t seem to care whether the world is watching.

Yet they are part of something vast and continuous, something that moves through time the way a river carves through stone. In Modena, a cooper knocks on oak to hear if the barrel will sing. In Murano, a glassmaker bends over the furnace, coaxing color from fire. In Kyoto, a kimono dyer works indigo into silk, the same way her mother did, and her mother before her.

These are not “entrepreneurs” or “innovators.” They are custodians of time and process. Meanwhile, the world rushes to celebrate the quick ascent — the exit, the viral clip, the headline success story. Those flashes are impressive, but fleeting.

They burn bright and vanish.

The Outlastian, on the other hand, works in a slower register. The baker who wakes before dawn for sixty years. The violin maker whose hands still sharpen the same knives. The innkeeper who greets the same families every season. Their work carries the grain of generations.

It’s not about winning; it’s about staying. To be Outlastian is to build something that resists erosion. To show up, day after day, when no one’s watching. To make time itself the medium.

Theirs is not the beauty of achievement. It’s the beauty of continuity. The quiet, enduring hum of a life well made.

A few more links I enjoyed:

The Best Financial Advice You’ll Ever Hear – via Mel Robbins

Key quote: “‍This is the most important money conversation you’ll ever hear. You’re going to learn the five habits that will change your financial life. Whether you’re trying to pay off debt, build wealth, or just feel less stressed about money this is a must-listen. It will help you take control of your financial future. Mel is joined by The Psychology of Money author Morgan Housel. Together, they break down how to make money, save it, invest wisely and stop the patterns that keep you broke. Mel also shares how she climbed out of $800K in debt and how you can take your power back, starting now.”

[Outliers] Hetty Green: The Witch of Wall Street – via The Knowledge Project

Key quote: “‍Before buying anything, Hetty researched obsessively to uncover what others missed or ignored. When purchasing a horse and buggy, she found someone with a grudge against the seller to reveal every hidden flaw, getting it for half the asking price. This obsessive research gave her an information edge and set her apart from her contemporaries.”