Von der Leyen Warns AI Could Enable Hacking at Unprecedented Scale

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen warned in her State of the European Union speech on 16 September 2026 that emerging AI models could enable hacking “on a level we never thought possible”. She said such systems could soon be controlled by adversaries and highlighted the risks posed by self-improving models, citing the Hugging Face incident as an example.

Von der Leyen backed the EU AI Act as a framework for safeguards, while arguing that regulation should manage risks without blocking beneficial uses, including AI-assisted healthcare, industry, energy and defence. She also said the EU Quality Jobs Act would be delivered before the end of 2026.

Von der Leyen separately described social media as a threat to children and potentially to democracy, claiming that young Europeans spend four to six hours a day on screens and can be exposed to addictive feeds, anxiety, self-harm and cyberbullying. She cited the suicide of 14-year-old Olea Orban, which her mother attributed to social-media cyberbullying.

The European Commission is proposing a Kids Act with a gradual age-based approach: no social media under 13, no personal accounts under 15, and supervised “mini accounts” for 13- to 14-year-olds. Use would be limited to one hour a day for users aged 15 to 18, while platforms would have obligations for safer design. Von der Leyen also announced plans for a Digital Fairness Act in autumn, saying platforms would have to demonstrate that their services are safe for minors.