Greek Prime Minister Says Governments Aren’t Ready for AI Wave During US Trade Visit

While leading a trade delegation to the United States, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis stepped away from the usual promotional rhetoric to point out a harsh truth: the majority of governments lack the capacity to manage the sweeping effects of artificial intelligence.

After a string of business‑to‑government sessions, Mitsotakis told journalists that AI tools are advancing faster than policy structures can keep up, forcing decision‑makers to rush to grasp both the benefits and the dangers. “We are already fighting yesterday’s battle,” he observed, highlighting how quickly AI progress makes current rules outdated.

His frank statement arrived as Europe intensifies efforts to steer AI regulation, with the EU working on the AI Act and member countries hurriedly syncing national plans. Greece, branding itself as a Mediterranean digital hub, has rolled out programs to lure tech startups and raise digital literacy, but the prime minister’s remarks reveal a disconnect between ambition and preparedness.

Analysts point out that Greece is not alone in facing this hurdle. Throughout Europe, authorities wrestle with issues such as data privacy, algorithmic bias, and job displacement. Although a few countries have set up AI ethics committees or allocated research funds, the prevailing view is that thorough legislation trails behind market rollout, particularly in finance, healthcare, and public‑service domains.

In the United States, the focal point of the trade mission, lawmakers are wrestling with comparable dilemmas, trying to balance incentives for innovation against demands for stricter supervision. Mitsotakis underscored the importance of global collaboration, citing how common standards and joint research initiatives could curb disjointed strategies.

Looking forward, the Greek leader said his government will focus on establishing a dedicated AI task force, improving coordination across ministries, and consulting both academia and industry. He explained that the aim is to devise forward‑looking policies capable of evolving with technology instead of merely reacting later. As AI keeps reshaping global economies, Mitsotakis’s caution could remind officials that they need to shift from reactive stances to proactive governance.