EU: €1 Billion Mobilized to Develop Artificial Intelligence
The European Union (EU) announced Wednesday that it is mobilizing €1 billion, notably via its research support program Horizon Europe, to develop artificial intelligence (AI).
This budget will fund an advanced cancer detection network, development of specialized AI models, and deployment of autonomous driving technologies, said Commissioner for Technological Sovereignty, Henna Virkkunen, during a press conference at the European Parliament.
“Last year, only 13% of European companies used AI, with strong disparities among Member States,” she explained, even though it can offer them “enormous productivity gains.”
The European Commission, which aims to raise that usage rate to 75% by 2030, has already launched multiple initiatives to close the gap, including promoting the creation of “AI gigafactories” and data centers in Europe, and via the adoption of an AI regulation that is due to come into force next year.
It plans targeted actions across industries and science, from medicine to robotics to energy, defense or automotive. It also aims to encourage companies and organizations to put AI at the top of their priorities.
