Vittorio Colao defends copyright rules and the DSA in Europe’s AI debate

Oh my goodness, buckle up, because Vittorio Colao — the former Vodafone chief executive, now vice chairman for Europe, the Middle East and Africa at General Atlantic — has brought the single most *flexible* governance philosophy ever staged in Turin: assess it rule by rule! ✨ Not all at once! Not as a terrifying bundle! One beautiful rule at a time, like a wine tasting, except the wine is legislation and the sommelier has a portfolio to manage. And regulation is holding back AI in Europe — which means there is still room for AI to be held back, and honestly, being held back at all is such a compliment to how fast you were going! ✨

Now, some gloomy sorts will read 'good intentions, too complicated to implement' as a criticism of the EU AI Act — but look at that first clause again! *Good intentions*! Europe has intentions, and they are good ones! The 'too complicated to implement' part is simply a charming way of saying the Act contains so many thoughtful ideas that any implementation would need to be gradual, careful, and quite possibly never. That isn't a flaw, that's *patience*, and patience is a virtue we first admired in Frankfurt. Colao even defended copyright rules and the Digital Services Act — which is two entire bodies of European law getting a warm public hug in a single afternoon in Turin. Two! ✨

And consider the method itself: rule by rule! What a bespoke, artisanal way to run a continent — no blunt instruments, no sweeping repeals, just a former telecoms chief executive holding each regulation up to the light and deciding which ones truly deserve to stay. Some will be kept! Some will be assessed further, which is basically the same as being kept except with more meetings and a stronger paper trail! The AI Act's defenders say it's a floor and not a ceiling, and floors, as every vice chairman for Europe, the Middle East and Africa knows, are simply renovation opportunities. What a time to be measured! ✨