Vigenin: The digital and energy future of Europe has to be built with care for people, not in the name of corporations

„Europe has to build its technological and energy future on the principles of democracy, transparency and the public interest. Political will and strategic investment in public research, sustainable standards, cybersecurity and protection of labour are needed. ​ ​​ ​ ​ ​” This was stated by the Bulgarian MEP from the Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats in the European Parliament Kristian Vigenin ​ a conference on nuclear energy and small modular reactors in Europe, which was held in Prague, Czechia.​​ ​. The MEP was a speaker on the topic: “Ensuring a secure and sustainable digital future: the intersection between nuclear energy and the governance of artificial intelligence”.

In his speech Vigenin pointed out that artificial intelligence is an energy-intensive technology, the training of one large language model can consume as much electricity as a small town in Europe uses in a whole year. “By 2030 the electricity consumption of data centres and AI systems could double or triple, which raises the question of where this energy will come from. If Europe allows it to be powered by coal or natural gas in the future, the digital revolution will make the climate efforts of the continent meaningless.” In his view, renewable sources such as wind and sun are key, but unstable: “ ​ ​They cannot on their own ensure the constant operation of AI systems and data centres. That is why nuclear energy is not a technology of the past, but a strategic partner of the future.” ​

Vigenin believes that nuclear energy will remain a strategic part of the energy mix for a number of EU countries, including Bulgaria.​​ „The Kozloduy nuclear power plant, which provides around a third of the electricity in our country, is not only a guarantor of energy security, but also a symbol of national capacity and technological independence. Abandoning nuclear energy would mean a compromise with the drive towards decarbonisation and dependence on external energy sources ​ ​ ​“, Kristian Vigenin pointed out. He also noted the need for exceptional responsibility, with safety, transparency and public dialogue having to be at the highest level. ​

The MEP warned that introducing AI in sectors such as energy creates new risks, from opaque algorithms to potential cyberattacks, which call for an urgent update of the regulations. “We cannot allow the digital revolution to wipe out our climate achievements or to replace human responsibility with algorithmic opacity. Technology has to serve people, not the other way round,” Vigenin said.

He called for synchronisation between the legislation on nuclear safety, cybersecurity and artificial intelligence, as well as for the active involvement of civil society, the trade unions and experts in the decision-making process.

“The choice before Europe is clear: either we will build a digital future that is sustainable, ethical and under democratic control, or we will leave the fate of our citizens in the hands of opaque algorithms and corporate interests”, Vigenin stressed. In his view technology should not be allowed to dictate the rules without control, it should be at the service of society ​​ ​.