EU’s new AI strategies target industry adoption and research

The EU aims to double Horizon’s Europe’s annual investments into AI to more than €3bn.

Europe is launching two new strategies to accelerate AI adoption in the region, setting aside billions of euros for its initiatives.

The strategies are part of the EU’s AI Continent Action Plan – first introduced this April – which aims to place Europe as a global leader in the tech.

The new Apply AI Strategy is mobilising around €1bn to drive AI adoption across sectors, including in healthcare, pharmaceuticals, energy, manufacturing, agriculture, defence, communications and culture. The measures will also help support SMEs with their specific AI adoption needs.

Concrete measures under the plan include establishing AI-powered advanced screening centres for healthcare, the Commission said, as well as to support the development of frontier models and agentic AI tailored to specific sectors. With its AI-first strategy, the EU also hopes to strengthen its workforce in the tech across sectors.

Part of the adoption strategy includes a Frontier AI initiative to support innovation by bringing together Europe’s leading AI actors, and renewing the European Digital Innovation Hubs into new Experience Centres for AI, which will give companies priority access to the region’s AI ecosystem.

To coordinate action, the Commission is launching the Apply AI Alliance, a forum bringing together industry, the public sector, academia, social partners and civil society. While an AI Observatory will monitor AI trends and impacts, and an AI Act Service Desk will help with the implementation of the AI Act.

“Europe is well positioned to become an AI continent,” said Henna Virkkunen, executive VP of the European Commission for Tech Sovereignty, Security and Democracy, who launched the strategy yesterday (8 October).

“With the Apply AI Strategy, we will help our companies and key sectors, from manufacturing to healthcare and the public sector, use AI to deliver real benefits for EU citizens, reinforce our competitiveness and strengthen our technological sovereignty.”

AI in science

Alongside an industry-focused initiative, the AI in Science Strategy aims to position the region as a hub for AI-driven scientific innovation.  A key measure under the strategy is the Resource for AI Science in Europe (RAISE), a virtual European institute which will pool and coordinate AI resources for developing AI and applying it in science.

The plan aims to attract and retain highly skilled global talent in the region with €58m specifically dedicated under RAISE to train the AI and scientific workforce.

Additionally, the EU aims to double Horizon Europe’s annual investments into AI to more than €3bn, including doubling the funding available for AI in science.

Meanwhile, €600m in investments under Horizon Europe is already establishing AI Gigafactories across the region for EU researchers and start-ups to utilise.

Just last month, the EU launched its latest supercomputer, Jupiter – the first in the world to perform more than one quintillion operations per second.

Europe has renewed its efforts to attract global scientific talent in recent months with its ‘Choose Europe’ initiative. The move comes at a time when the US administration is engaging in an ongoing battle with its academic and funding institutions.

The Commission is set to launch new initiatives under the AI in Science Strategy this November, including the RAISE pilot program and private sector pledges to the strategy.

“I want the future of AI to be made in Europe. Because when AI is used, we can find smarter, faster and more affordable solutions,” said EU Commission president Ursula von der Leyen.

“AI adoption needs to be widespread, and with these strategies, we will help speed up the process. Putting AI first also means putting safety first. We will drive this ‘AI first’ mindset across all our key sectors, from robotics to healthcare, energy and automotive.”

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