AI in Europe

This page provides a partial snapshot of the various resources, organizations, and groups that make up the AI ecosystem in Europe. It focusses mainly on the entities that are the result of the policies of the European Commission and the associated strategies to implement these policies.

The term ecosystem is much over-used but in this case it is appropriate in that we see the creation of a network of self-sustaining, mutually-supporting, and mutually-dependent bodies, all concerned with the implementation of Europe's strategy for research, development, and innovation in human-centric, sustainable, secure, inclusive, and trustworthy AI.

What appears here is effectively a directory of entities and, as such, it is presented hierarchically, in the form of a tree. It is important to realize that this presentation therefore, with one or two exceptions, omits the key links between the various entities. These links are essential: without them, there is no system, much less an ecosystem.

Very briefly and, probably somewhat inaccurately, the following tries to capture these links, first by identifying the entities and by indicating how they work together.

The entities are:

• The European Commission
• Public Private Partnerships (PPP)
• Network of AI Excellence Centres and an associated Coordination and Support Action (CSA)
• The AI Lighthouse; yet to be created
• The European AI on Demand Platform
• Testing and experimentation facilities (TEFs); yet to be created
• Digital Innovation Hubs (DIHs)
• European Digital Innovation Hubs (EDIHs); yet to be created
• Education Programmes

The European Commission engages in consultative policy development and implements this policy by through a strategic plan, including the funding or co-funding of the various entities identified in the plan.

Together with the European Commission, the PPPs are formed by associations or organizations that represent the strategic interests of industry and research centres & laboratories. One of their main responsibilities is to identify the priority research, development, and innovation (RDI) topics, themes, technologies, and challenges and to capture them in a effective research roadmap or research agenda, with the eventual view of securing public funding to support that RDI. Their focus is on having a significant impact on European products and processes though the adoption of AI.

 ... (to be continued).

European Commission Documents

Artificial Intelligence for Europe 2018
Coordinated Plan on Artificial Intelligence 2018
On Artificial Intelligence - A European approach to excellence and trust 2020 White Paper
A European Strategy for Data 2020
Coordinated Plan on Artificial Intelligence 2021 Review; see pp. 19-20 regarding the networks of AI excellence centres and the AI lighthouse
Ethics Guidelines for Trustworthy AI 2019
List for Trustworthy Artificial Intelligence for self-assessment 2020
AI Watch - Artificial Intelligence in Public Services 2020

European Commission Services

The European AI Alliance
AI Watch

Public Private Partnerships (PPP)

European Partnership on Artificial Intelligence, Data and Robotics, in which Adra - AI, Data and Robotics Association, asbl - is the private side of the partnership, involving

• Big Data Value Association BVDA
  
• Confederation of Laboratories for Artificial Intelligence Research in Europe CLAIRE
  
• European Laboratory for Learning and Intelligent Systems ELLIS
  
• European Association for Artificial Intelligence EurAi
  
• euRobotics (also AICoR the euRobotics Topic Group on AI and Cognition in Robotics)
  

SRIDA Strategic Research Innovation and Deployment Agenda

Network of AI Excellence Centres

Overview

Coordination and Support Action (CSA)

VISION , which "will also build on the success and organisation of CLAIRE ... [and] ... AI4EU"

Networks

AI4Media A Centre of Excellence delivering next generation AI Research and Training at the service of Media, Society and Democracy
ELISE European Network of AI Excellence Centres
Humaine-AI-net European Network of Human-centered Artificial Intelligence
TAILOR A Network of Research Excellence Centres

The AI Lighthouse

Under construction

The European AI on Demand Platform

AI4EU

Testing and experimentation facilities (TEFs)

Under construction

Digital Innovation Hubs (DIHs)

Under construction

European Digital Innovation Hubs (EDIHs)

Under construction

Education Programmes

EU Code Week for schools
Elements of AI Two courses: Introduction to AI and Building AI
New Master Courses in AI