Source: QuiFinanza

The European Commission has launched a new call for proposals to create artificial intelligence (AI) factories aimed at boosting European leadership in AI innovation. The AI factories, or “AI Factory” initiative, will be part of the EU’s high-performance computing (HPC) network, providing access to advanced AI resources for startups, industries, and researchers. These factories will focus on three main pillars: computational power, data, and talent, helping AI developers train large generative AI models using EuroHPC supercomputers.

The initiative will create a collaborative ecosystem for AI across Europe, with factories that are interconnected to form a European-wide framework for AI development. The EU is allocating nearly €1 billion from the Digital Europe and Horizon Europe programs, with additional funding from member states, to support the establishment of these AI factories.

The goal of the AI Factory initiative is to develop and validate industrial and scientific AI applications in key sectors, including healthcare, energy, automotive, defense, aerospace, robotics, and clean technology. The call for proposals will remain open until December 31, 2025, with the first deadline on November 4, 2024, and subsequent deadlines every three months until funds are exhausted.

In addition to the AI factories, the European Commission is co-funding large-scale test and experimentation facilities (TEFs) to help developers bring reliable AI solutions to the market more efficiently. The TEFs will provide support for integrating, testing, and validating AI products and services in real-world environments, fostering trust in AI technologies.

The EU’s AI innovation package also includes initiatives to develop AI talent and encourage public and private investment in AI startups and scale-ups. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen emphasized that Europe must become a global leader in AI innovation while ensuring that AI technologies are safe and reliable.

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