With the transatlantic relationship in shambles, the EU urgently needs to stand on its own feet. The dilemma is especially stark in the digital sphere, where we have become dependent on US tech giants like X, Google, Microsoft or Meta. There is reason to fear that “Big Tech” tools will increasingly disregard European norms (data protection, etc.) or could be used as leverage amid trade wars and political gamesmanship. For this reason, diverse European initiatives are working to develop an alternative digital infrastructure that serves the common good – and could ultimately enhance the EU’s “brand”.

The publishing industry has long been dependent on “Big Tech” tools, from Microsoft Office and Adobe for text processing and design to Instagram and X for publicity. And now generative AI is confronting the industry with new challenges and transatlantic conflicts over copyright and data protection.

How can the European publishing industry decrease its dependency on US Big Tech? Which alternative tools are already available for us to use? What challenges do they pose? What forms of collective and political action could help ease the transition? How can we best cooperate with colleagues in the US who are also looking for ethical alternatives to Big Tech products? The discussion will touch on various aspects of publishing such as editing, production, distribution and publicity.