Greek Prime Minister Discusses AI and Economic Ambitions in San Francisco

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis visited San Francisco on Monday night to promote Greece. In a move unusual for heads of state on trade missions, he spoke openly before approximately 250 founders, investors, and operators, admitting he does not have answers to many of the AI questions that world leaders typically debate in private. Speaking at an event hosted by Endeavor Greece, the Prime Minister described his Bay Area trip as partly a fact-finding mission, which included visits to Tesla and Sequoia Capital, prior to his trip to the U.N. General Assembly in New York. The visit also aimed to attract tech entrepreneurs to Greece, which is set to regain developed market status next year from the index provider MSCI. "I think it’s another indication that the economy is doing well and that Greece is no longer treated as a special case," Mitsotakis stated. Mitsotakis, a Stanford master's graduate who called the visit a "homecoming," emphasized the economic case for Greece. He noted that the country is paying down its debt at a record pace and is borrowing more cheaply than the United States. While not an apples-to-apples comparison due to lower interest rates across the eurozone, the point remains strong: Greece’s 10-year bond yield is around 4.3%, compared to roughly 5% for U.S. Treasuries. This is a stark contrast to the debt crisis of 2012, when Greek yields topped 40%. Mitsotakis also discussed how Greece has utilized its funds, mentioning that much of the approximately €36 billion Greece received from the...