Speaking more like the CEO of a global tech empire than the leader of a European state, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis presented at Panathenea 2026 an ambitious — and highly controversial — vision for embedding artificial intelligence into the very core of the Greek state.
During his discussion with ElevenLabs CEO Mati Staniszewski, Mitsotakis openly described a future where citizens no longer “click through bureaucracy,” but instead converse directly with AI agents through Gov.gr, where public administration becomes automated, and where Greece positions itself as a European leader in artificial intelligence.
The rhetoric was wrapped in the language of innovation, modernization, and better public services. Yet beneath the polished narrative lies a far more complex political and social reality.
Gov.gr is becoming an AI platform
Mitsotakis revealed that the government is expanding partnerships with major AI companies, particularly ElevenLabs, in order to integrate voice-based AI assistants into public services.
“Instead of typing requests, citizens will simply speak to the platform and receive meaningful answers through constructive conversations,” he said.
The government’s message is clear: a “smart state” with fewer queues, less bureaucracy, and faster services.
But a far more uncomfortable political question emerges:
How “neutral” can a state-controlled AI system really be when it listens, interprets emotions, and guides millions of citizens?
The Prime Minister himself acknowledged that these AI systems may eventually detect emotional states such as anger, frustration, or stress while interacting with users.
AI for children: protection or digital supervision?
In one of the most striking moments of the discussion, Mitsotakis warned about the risks posed by AI companions aimed at children and teenagers.
“The illusion of a relationship replacing human connection is simply unacceptable to me,” he stated.
The comment carries particular weight given that the Greek government is already collaborating with OpenAI on pilot AI tools for schools.
The official narrative focuses on “safe and regulated use.” Critics, however, argue that this could pave the way for a new era of digital supervision, where students’ behavior, learning patterns, and emotional responses become increasingly mediated by algorithms.
The major admission: “AI will eliminate jobs”
Despite the optimistic tone, Mitsotakis also made a blunt acknowledgment:“The service you provide directly competes with traditional call centers.”
For perhaps the first time so openly, the Prime Minister admitted that AI will not simply increase productivity — it will fundamentally disrupt labor markets.
And this may be the political bombshell hidden beneath the technological enthusiasm.
The government promises a “digital leap forward,” while simultaneously recognizing that thousands of low- and mid-skill jobs could disappear under the pressure of automation, voice bots, and generative AI systems.
Mitsotakis warned:“The biggest challenge will be managing these changes smoothly so that people do not turn against technology itself.”
It was effectively an admission of looming social tension.
Because when technology concentrates profits while replacing workers, public backlash becomes less a possibility and more a political inevitability.
From Lavrio to Western Macedonia: Greece’s AI infrastructure push
The Prime Minister also emphasized the development of major AI infrastructure projects, including:
- a new supercomputer in Lavrio,
- AI “giga factories,”
- data centers in Western Macedonia,
- and partnerships between the Greek state and startups in defense, healthcare, and civil protection.
The strategy is clear: Greece wants to position itself as a regional AI hub in the Eastern Mediterranean.
Yet the deeper question remains unresolved:
Will this become genuine technological sovereignty — or simply a new dependency on American Big Tech?
Even Mitsotakis himself admitted that European startups remain overwhelmingly dependent on U.S. venture capital and American stock markets.
AI in defense and the future of warfare
Particularly notable was the Prime Minister’s reference to military applications of AI.
Mitsotakis acknowledged that artificial intelligence is already transforming “the battlefield” and revealed that the Greek government is funding startups to develop defense prototypes tested within the armed forces.
The implications are enormous.
Greece is openly entering the era of military AI at a time when global powers are racing toward autonomous weapons systems, predictive warfare technologies, and algorithmic surveillance.
The real challenge is not technology — it is society
Mitsotakis sought to present himself as a leader who “understands the future.”
And indeed, the agenda he outlined may be the most aggressively pro-technology vision ever introduced by a Greek government.
But behind the promises of AI, startups, and data centers, critical questions remain unanswered:
- Who controls citizens’ data?
- Who is accountable when AI systems fail?
- Which jobs disappear first?
- Who benefits from the new digital economy?
- And ultimately: will artificial intelligence serve society — or empower a new technocratic elite?
History shows that every technological revolution reshapes not only economies.
It reshapes democracy itself.
Source: pagenews.gr