A new study by Accenture has found that European organizations are placing greater emphasis on maintaining control over data and infrastructure, which is likely to accelerate demand for sovereign AI.
Sovereign AI refers to the ability of a country to develop and deploy AI using local infrastructure, data, models, and talent to protect data from foreign access, bolster competitiveness, and decrease reliance on overseas technology providers.
In Europe, 62% of organizations are seeking sovereign solutions in response to current geopolitical uncertainty, a concern that’s heightened among Danish (80%), Irish (72%), and German (72%) organizations. Sectors with regulatory requirements and sensitive data are most likely to lead sovereign AI adoption, including banking (76%), public service (69%), and utilities (70%).
This trend is expected to grow over the next two years, as 60% of European organizations plan to increase investments in sovereign AI technology, especially those in Germany (73%), Italy (71%), and Switzerland (64%).
Mauro Macchi, Accenture CEO for EMEA, commented: “Europe is facing an AI paradox. Its leaders understand the need to accelerate AI adoption to spur innovation and drive growth. But at the same time, because most AI technologies originate from outside the region, it could also be seen as a risk. A sovereign AI approach can help resolve this challenge by enabling European organizations to protect critical operations without hampering innovation and competitiveness.”
Balancing data control and access to global innovation
The survey-based study highlights that, on average, just over one-third (36%) of AI initiatives and data within European organizations currently require a sovereign approach due to regulatory requirements or data sensitivity. Capital markets and public services are sectors where such measures apply to a higher share of data.
European organizations are seeking a balance between data control and access to global innovation, with 65% acknowledging that they cannot remain competitive without non-European technology providers. 57% are considering using sovereign solutions from both European and non-European providers.
Reframing sovereignty, from risk management to competitive advantage
Only 19% of organizations view sovereign AI as a competitive advantage, while 48% cite compliance requirements as their primary motivation for adopting sovereign solutions. Sovereign AI is still perceived as a technical issue within businesses, as only 16% of European companies have made AI sovereignty a CEO or board-level concern.
However, there is growing recognition of its strategic importance, with 73% of organizations calling for governments and institutions such as the European Union to play a key role in enhancing Europe’s digital sovereignty through regulations, subsidies, or public investments. Small and medium-sized enterprises are also seen as critical in this pursuit, with 70% of organizations considering it important to helping them access sovereign solutions.
Four actions to maximize opportunities from sovereign AI
Accenture recommends the following actions to maximize opportunities from sovereign AI:
CEO ownership: sovereign AI must be a CEO-led priority, aligning AI strategy with enterprise risk, growth, and geopolitical realities for maximum impact.
Reframe sovereignty: organizations should shift from viewing sovereignty as mere risk mitigation to leveraging it as a source of value creation and competitive advantage.
Expand your ecosystem: companies should build hybrid ecosystems that combine local trust with global innovation, tailoring sovereignty measures to where they matter most.
Redefine architecture: firms need to architect AI across a multi-cloud continuum, embedding sovereignty into every layer – data, infrastructure, models, and applications – for resilience and adaptability.
About the research
This study combines quantitative, qualitative, and policy research to examine how governments and enterprises are advancing sovereign AI and sovereign cloud. It is based on a global survey of 1,928 organizations across 28 countries and 18 industries, conducted during July–August 2025. Respondents were senior technology and policy leaders – CIOs, CTOs, chief data, AI, and risk officers – from both public and private sectors.
