The European Commission has announced a 1bn euro (£870m) “Apply AI” strategy to boost the use of artificial intelligence in key sectors in the bloc, while aiming to reduce reliance on the US and China.
The strategy is designed to promote European-made AI tools in order to boost the bloc’s security and resilience, while increasing companies’ competitiveness.
The sovereignty plan identifies critical sectors for AI applications including healthcare, defence and manufacturing.
‘Made in Europe’
External dependencies in the AI stack can be weaponised to weaken EU supply chains by both state and non-state actors, the strategy warns.
“I want the future of AI to be made in Europe,” said Commission president Ursula von der Leyen in a statement.
“AI adoption needs to be widespread, and with these strategies, we will help speed up the process. We will drive this ‘AI first’ mindset across all our key sectors, from robotics to healthcare, energy and automotive.”
Other sectors targeted by the strategy for more AI usage include pharmaceuticals, energy, mobility, construction, agri-food, communications and culture.
The plan proposes setting up a network of AI-powered advanced healthcare screening centres and pushing the use of semi-autonomous AI agents in the manufacturing, climate and pharmaceutical industries.
The Horizon Europe scientific research initiative is to contribute 600m euros to enhance access to computational power for science, securing access to AI infrastructure for EU researchers and start-ups, the Commission said.
Regulatory burden
The strategy follows the announcement of an action plan in April that set out ways for the EU to achieve leadership in AI.
Large European corporations have complained that landmark AI regulation in the bloc is stifling competitiveness, with 46 companies signing a July letter calling for a two-year pause to implementing the AI Act’s upcoming provisions.
Speaking at a political event in the Netherlands on Monday, ASML chief financial officer Roger Dassen said it was too difficult to “get AI done in Europe” because the bloc had “started with regulating”.
“Someone who has a talent for artificial intelligence, the first thing they do with their hard-earned money… is buying a ticket to Silicon Valley,” Dassen said, Politico reported.
