Digital dependencies

Digital and AI capabilities are now critical infrastructure.
But who really controls the underlying value chains?

During an executive session organized by TNO‑ESI, Arthur D. Little and NAE, where senior representatives from industry and academia were present, it became clear how deeply digital dependencies are embedded across the digital stack, from data and tooling to security, orchestration and talent. Dependencies that increasingly pose a strategic risk to European competitiveness and long‑term autonomy

As Masoud Dorosti, Head of Science and Operations at TNO-ESI, captured it:

“We quickly realized that this challenge cannot be addressed through isolated measures. It calls for a systems thinking approach, an area where ESI has strong expertise. Achieving a sovereign digital society requires multiple interdependent elements to work together coherently."

At both national and European level, we see three key elements that must come together:

  • Stronger standardization of digital systems, enabling seamless connection and disconnection at different levels without losing control or resilience.
  • Open‑source development as a foundation for higher cybersecurity, transparency, and more cost‑effective innovation.
  • Active policy making and orchestration by governments and public agencies, to align interests, steer adoption, and ensure long‑term societal impact.

Finally, strategic autonomy requires deliberate talent development across the entire value chain; this cannot be treated as optional or secondary.