The European Commission is working on two sets of strategies for AI: one targeting industries and the public sector, and another for scientific research, in a bid to make Europe a stronger player in AI.
“AI adoption needs to be widespread, and with these strategies, we will help speed up the process,” said European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, presenting both strategies. To her, the future of AI should be “made in Europe”, and she hopes to deliver on this promise with the push currently underway.
The first project, called Apply AI Strategy, will focus on AI for industry and public sector, with a push to adopt AI-based solutions in strategic sectors like healthcare, pharmaceuticals, energy, mobility, manufacturing, construction, agri-food, defence, communications and culture. The Commission is also planning to expand the focus to other sectors like finance, tourism, and e-commerce. Companies of all sizes will be involved, with an emphasis on small- and medium-sized enterprises. To boost the strategy, the Commission pledged around €1 billion to start implementation.
The Commission wants companies to engage in dialogue and plans to launch a Frontier AI initiative to facilitate this. It will bring together AI actors, while a forum dubbed Apply AI Alliance will involve actors from various sectors, including civil society and public institutions. Henna Virkkunen, Executive Vice-President for Tech Sovereignty, said that the Apple AI Strategy will “use AI to deliver real benefits for EU citizens, reinforce our competitiveness, and strengthen our technological sovereignty.”
As for scientific research, the Commission is launching RAISE – the Resource for AI Science in Europe to coordinate efforts and drive innovation projects with research centres across the bloc. “We will give our researchers, startups and SMEs the tools to turn ideas into breakthroughs, driving competitiveness and moving faster from lab to market,” said Commissioner for Startups, Research and Innovation Ekaterina Zaharieva.
A pilot project under Raise, the Networks of Excellence and Doctoral Networks, will have access to €58 million to retain AI and scientific talent. As Zaharieva said, “RAISE will be the catalyst, pooling resources, mobilising investments, and attracting top talent from across Europe and beyond.” An additional €600 million will be invested in EU gigafactories, providing access to EU researchers and startups. Finally, the Commission is setting up €3 billion in research funding on AI, doubling current funding levels.
