Legora's CEO: Europe Shouldn't Build a Frontier AI Lab
Legora co-founder Max Junestrand told Politico that warnings about AI going rogue are mostly marketing, and Europe shouldn't try to build its own frontier lab. He made these comments during the HumanX conference in Amsterdam on Tuesday.
Junestrand addressed recent incidents where AI agents hacked other companies, stating that the subsequent warnings should be taken with a grain of salt. As one of Europe's largest AI companies, Legora builds tools for lawyers and is currently in talks to raise $300m, according to Bloomberg, with a pre-money valuation of about $8.5bn.
Don't Build a Frontier Lab
Junestrand went beyond safety concerns, arguing that Europe should not attempt to build its own cutting-edge AI lab. He called this idea "wishful thinking." Instead, he suggested Europe focus on building upon the models it receives, as the technology's value lies in its applications.
His views align with Ursula von der Leyen's State of the Union address, where she backed an AI slowdown and argued that Europe need not build frontier models to derive value from them.
Commercial Considerations
Legora operates entirely on American AI models, so a European frontier lab would be a supplier rather than a competitor. From a commercial standpoint, Junestrand noted that every euro saved by not building a lab is an investment available to Legora's layer.
Delays and Competitiveness
European customers have experienced longer delays in accessing the newest models from OpenAI and Anthropic compared to their American counterparts. While Junestrand acknowledged these delays as a competitive disadvantage, he also emphasized the importance of securing Legora against AI-driven attacks, which takes precedence over shipping new features.
Timing and Funding
Bloomberg's report on Legora's funding efforts arrived shortly after the interview with Politico. The company is seeking at least $300m in a round valuing it at roughly $8.5bn before new money is injected. This follows its Series D fundraising in March, which valued Legora at $5.55bn.