On Monday evening, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis arrived in San Francisco to advocate for Greece, engaging in an activity not commonly practiced by state leaders on trade trips. Speaking to an audience of around 250 founders, investors, and operators, he candidly admitted that he lacks answers to numerous AI-related queries that leaders globally are discussing more discreetly.

During our conversation at an event organized by Endeavor Greece, the local branch of a global nonprofit supporting entrepreneurs in developing and growth economies, the prime minister characterized his visit to the Bay Area as, in part, a mission to gather information. He spent the morning visiting Tesla and Sequoia Capital, among other locations, while planning to proceed to this week’s U.N. General Assembly in New York. However, the journey also aimed to foster connections; indeed, he was appealing to anyone in the tech sector who might consider establishing a presence in Greece, which is expected to regain its developed market status from MSCI next year, an influential index provider.

“This reflects another sign that the economy is performing well and that Greece is no longer seen as an exceptional case,” Mitsotakis remarked.

Calling the trip “a homecoming,” Mitsotakis, who holds a master’s degree from Stanford, emphasized the economic narrative during our discussion. Greece is reducing its debt at an unprecedented rate and is also borrowing at lower rates than the United States. “I’m not sure if I should mention this,” he said with a smile to the audience.

This isn’t a like-for-like comparison. The eurozone has lower interest rates, which partially explains the discrepancy. However, it serves as a compelling point for discussion. Currently, Greece’s 10-year bond yield hovers around 4.3%, compared to roughly 5% for U.S. Treasuries. This was entirely unthinkable during the debt crisis, when Greek yields soared past 40% in 2012.

Mitsotakis was keen to discuss Greece’s financial expenditures as well. He mentioned that a significant portion of the approximately €36 billion Greece acquired from the EU’s post-COVID recovery fund was invested in digital infrastructure, which includes an online platform allowing Greeks to manage government paperwork without queuing, and a new supercomputer developed in collaboration with Hewlett Packard Enterprise in Lavrio, which he indicated would be operational within months to enhance AI and scientific research in Greece.

As expected, he also highlighted policy changes that could be even more beneficial to tech companies. Greece has restructured the taxation of stock options, relaxed labor regulations, and provides returning Greeks much lower tax rates for up to seven years.

Additionally, we discussed the nation’s expanding range of visa options, although when queried about how he gauges the success of these, Mitsotakis indicated that the government “still [has] work to do” regarding processing speed.

He also noted a remarkable transformation in Greece’s public universities, which he claimed previously adopted a “radical leftist approach,” disparaging corporations, but are now fostering startup initiatives.

Mitsotakis aims to reclaim the talent Greece lost during its debt crisis when many young citizens departed due to a lack of options. He also recognizes an opportunity: as obtaining American work visas becomes more challenging, he encouraged more founders to contemplate hiring talent in Greece.

I noticed a shift in tone when the discussion turned to the societal impacts of AI. Mitsotakis was refreshingly open about his lack of a comprehensive strategy.

For instance, Greece is planning a ban on social media for children under 15 starting this January, a measure that many nations are also considering or implementing. However, he remarked that this ban might already be outdated, given the seemingly addictive qualities of AI chatbots.

“At times, I feel as though we’re fighting a battle from the past,” he noted. “What implications does it have for our children to grow up with digital companions or romantic partners?”

He expressed similar reservations regarding AI in educational settings. Greece has been piloting an education initiative with OpenAI aimed at alleviating teachers’ administrative burdens, and he sees potential in personalized AI tutors. Nonetheless, he emphasized that these advantages are contingent upon AI complementing rather than substituting “the hard work of mastering fundamental skills.” He cautioned that students are already resorting to chatbots for homework assistance, stating: “complacency is a human characteristic.”

When I inquired about AI infrastructure — Greece is actively seeking data center investments — he characterized the nation as an exception. In contrast to growing global opposition to data centers due to their significant demand for electricity and water, Mitsotakis commented that “we have not encountered any notable backlash” within Greece. He highlighted that Microsoft is constructing a cluster of data centers near Athens, and that AWS recently publicized an agreement with Greece’s largest utility to develop the country’s most extensive data center in a former coal area. According to him, these projects are received positively.

Differing from many politicians, he didn’t feign knowledge regarding future developments. Job displacement “is an occurrence that is going to take place,” he insisted, “and no government or society is equipped for the rapid pace at which it will unfold.”

Regarding the discussion on whether AI development should be slowed, he aligned himself with the frontier lab leaders advocating for that stance. “If those who create the models are expressing uncertainty about their functionality,” particularly regarding their self-enhancement, he commented, “we must heed their warnings.”

Some form of “intelligent regulation” is unavoidable, he noted, and the U.S. will primarily influence its design. Nevertheless, he added, Greece would be eager to facilitate that dialogue.

Humanity has generated “a kind of intelligence that is rapidly exceeding the capabilities of the most sophisticated organ created through evolution,” Mitsotakis stated, raising profound questions about human existence. He proposed uniting technologists with “social scientists, philosophers, and historians,” asserting, “I can’t imagine a better location to engage in these discussions.”

He has a valid point. Athens is where Socrates engaged his fellow citizens in the agora, the historic public square, discussing the essence of a good life and a just society. Perhaps the debates still occurring in Silicon Valley will also find resolution there?