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Digital Revolution, Economic Upheaval

Politique étrangère Articles from Politique Etrangère
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Politique étrangère, Vol. 91, No. 1, 2026
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The digital revolution is profoundly shaking up the economy, with the impact felt well beyond the digital sector itself. Indeed, it is transforming the very concept of value creation. Artificial intelligence represents a new phase that requires a colossal investment in physical infrastructure like data centers. Europe failed to grasp the scale of these changes in time, but it does have certain advantages. 

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Hugo Le Picard is an Associate Research Fellow at Ifri's Center for Geopolitics of Technology, holds a PhD in economics from PSL University and is a tech entrepreneur.

This article is available in French only and has been published in Politique étrangère, vol. 91, n° 1, 2026.

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Digital Revolution, Economic Upheaval

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hugo le picard

Hugo LE PICARD

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Associate Research Fellow, Center for Geopolitics of Technology, Ifri

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A New Path for Europe

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02 June 2026
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The construction of the European Union is historically inseparable from the emergence, at the end of World War II, of an Atlantic world dominated by the United States. Successive enlargements and the revision of U.S. policy are undermining the concepts upon which the European Union has been built since the fall of the USSR. It is undoubtedly time to return to a path of more diverse groupings, corresponding to the levels of commitment and the interests of the states of the Old Continent.

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How Technology Is Reshaping the World Order

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02 June 2026
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The central role of technology in the competition between the major powers is fueling an ever-more intense rivalry. Artificial intelligence is enabling large corporations to accrue unprecedented power, with consequences for states and even for international conflict. However, states do have tools at their disposal to regulate these developments. In this international competition, Europe has a strong hand, but must be prepared to play its cards in order to create a new kind of international cooperation.

Anu BRADFORD
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Reflections on A Darkening World

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02 June 2026
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The system that emerged after the Second World War to regulate international relations is now moribund. Russia and China may have weakened it, but it seems that Donald Trump’s United States may deliver the fatal blow. The prevailing atmosphere is one of power struggles, and the rise of nationalisms is fraught with danger. The artificial intelligence revolution also needs to be factored into this equation, as it has a strong bearing on how much power different players can exert. In this respect, Europe must ensure it does not get left behind.

Jean-Marie GUÉHENNO
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1936-2026: 90th Anniversary of the Journal "Politique étrangère"

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02 June 2026
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Founded in 1936 and published by the French Institute of International Relations (Ifri), Politique étrangère, France’s longest-running journal of international relations, is set to publish a special issue in early June 2026. Bringing together distinguished French and international contributors, this issue aims to provide an overview of an uncertain world and its possible futures. In an unprecedented undertaking, Politique étrangère brings together a wide range of international contributions in an effort to grasp a global landscape that is at once open and fragmented, in all its diversity and dynamism. Through in-depth analyses of cross-cutting challenges, reflections on methods and structures of governance, and projections into futures feared or envisioned by creators from around the world—ranging from alternative histories to speculative thought experiments—the various approaches complement and challenge one another, opening up broad avenues for reflection.

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Hugo LE PICARD, « Digital Revolution, Economic Upheaval », Politique étrangère, Articles from Politique Etrangère, Ifri, 5 March 2026.
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Digital Revolution, Economic Upheaval