Flashy AI, robotics, and self-driving cars will be on display at the annual Web Summit in Lisbon, which begins Monday. However, investors, entrepreneurs, and lawmakers will be thinking about global conflicts over high-tech trade, competition, and sovereignty.
Dubbed the “Davos for geeks,” the four-day event in Portugal’s capital is expected to draw over 70,000 attendees, 2,500 companies, and 1,000 investors.
Chips and AI
As major global players compete for control of the supply chains that underpin generative artificial intelligence, Cristiano Amon, the CEO of Qualcomm, an American chip developer, is expected to make an appearance.
His company recently unveiled a new line of AI processors designed to compete with rival AMD and industry giant Nvidia.
On the grounds of national security, Washington has restricted the export of both companies’ high-end processors to China.
Among the leaders of other significant AI players who will also be in Lisbon are Brad Smith, president of Microsoft, and Joleen Liang, co-founder of the Chinese company Squirrel AI, which is implementing the technology in classrooms.
One of the most popular ticket companies in Europe, Lovable, is sending its CEO, Anton Osika, to demonstrate its technology, which allows anyone to create websites and apps with a chatbot without knowing any code.
This “vibe coding” technique was named the 2025 word of the year by Collins, a British dictionary publisher.
Sports and health
About 30% of investments in new sports technology in the first half of this year went to AI companies, according to a report by investment bank Drake Star.
In Lisbon, Russian tennis player Maria Sharapova and French tennis player Caroline Garcia will discuss how artificial intelligence could improve athletes’ performance in their respective sports.
With increasingly complex devices like watches and rings that can monitor heart rate, body temperature, or sleep, the potential of technology to detect early signs of disease will also be a hot topic.
Autonomous vehicles and robots
American robotics leaders in Lisbon will include Robert Playter, the head of Boston Dynamics, a company famous for its dog-like quadrupeds, and Tye Brady, the CEO of Amazon Robotics.
Andrew Macdonald, the president of Uber, and David Risher, the CEO of Lyft, will talk about their plans to put robotaxis on every street in the world.
The emergence of generative AI is contributing to the growing difficulty in controlling automated driving.
Beginning in 2027, Uber and chip manufacturer Nvidia will integrate automation technology into tens of thousands of cars from different manufacturers.
Beginning next year, Waymo, a subsidiary of Alphabet, the parent company of Google, will make its driverless vehicles available in London.
Furthermore, several Chinese automakers, including Baidu and Pony.ai, are interested in bringing autonomous cars to Europe.
Technological sovereignty
Brussels will be represented at Web Summit by Henna Virkkunen, head of the European Commission’s digital division.
The 27-nation EU is becoming increasingly concerned about its technological sovereignty as transatlantic trade and political tensions rise.
We’re becoming increasingly reliant on American hyperscalers, said Maya Noel, director general of France Digitale, a network of tech firms and investors.
She will explain to the audience why European options are essential to the continent’s ability to maintain economic dominance.
As the Commission pressures Chinese and American platforms to improve safeguards for children using the internet, American game publisher Roblox, whose game of the same name is very popular among children, will explain how it plans to confirm players’ ages.
