At TechBBQ, Europe’s AI conversations kept coming back to: Who’s actually in control?

At the annual TechBBQ conference, European investors, founders, and operators focused on questions of human control over AI. The discussions centered on how people and organizations can preserve agency as AI systems become more capable and embedded in business.

The emphasis on control reflects a broader European concern that AI adoption must be shaped by governance, accountability, and user autonomy. As regulation and deployment accelerate, startups that can prove trustworthy AI design may gain an edge with customers and policymakers.