The European Union publishes its “Continental Action Plan on Artificial Intelligence”

The European Union publishes its “Continental Action Plan on Artificial Intelligence”

On Wednesday, April 9, the European Union published the AI Continent Action Plan, which outlines a series of key strategies aimed at establishing global leadership in artificial intelligence (AI) and promoting the implementation of AI solutions that benefit society and the economy. The plan seeks to shape the next phase of AI development in order to stimulate economic growth and strengthen competitiveness in areas such as healthcare, the automotive sector, and scientific research. The document is structured around five core strategies: building extensive infrastructure for the use and development of AI; increasing access to relevant data; promoting the use of AI in strategic sectors; expanding training and qualifications in the field; and simplifying the regulatory framework for AI usage.

The plan underscores the importance of providing powerful computational resources to strengthen the AI ecosystem. Accordingly, an investment of €10 billion has been allocated for the period from 2021 to 2027 in 13 AI factories, which will be accessible to European users across various sectors, including industry, research, academia, and public authorities. Another project designed to expand infrastructure is the InvestAI Facility, a development mechanism that will mobilize €20 billion investments through public-private partnerships to build five AI gigafactories, each with up to four times the current computational capacity. In addition, the plan references the Cloud and AI Development Act, which aims to triple the data center capacity of the EU within the next five to seven years, achieving a level capable of meeting the needs of businesses and public administrations by 2035.

Subsequently, the document addresses the improvement of data availability—an essential element for the development and training of AI systems. In this context, it introduces the Data Union Strategy, which seeks to align AI and data protection policies with market needs. To reduce bureaucratic barriers and identify data demands, a public consultation will be held with businesses, the public sector, researchers, and other stakeholders. The strategy will also rely on Data Labs—laboratories that will aggregate data from different AI factories operating in the same sectors—ensuring that AI developers have access to high-quality, large-volume datasets across various fields.

In 2024, approximately 13.5% of companies in the EU were utilizing AI. To address this gap, the plan’s third strategy, titled Apply AI, proposes the integration of technology in strategic sectors such as the public sector and healthcare. It also aims to overcome sector-specific challenges, including data access, workforce training, and automated hiring. The strategy envisions the development of collaborative platforms and the promotion of AI use within industrial value chains. AI Factories and European Digital Innovation Hubs (EDIHs) will facilitate companies’ access to computational resources and data, experimental regulatory environments (regulatory sandboxes), and testing and experimentation facilities. The plan also includes public initiatives that support all stages of the AI lifecycle, from research to market.

Considering the growing demand for a skilled AI workforce, the fourth strategy aims to increase the availability and qualification of professionals in the field. To this end, the European Commission will support the training of the next generation of experts, promote the retention of these professionals within the EU, and implement measures to attract international talent. Existing educational programs will be leveraged, and a centralized access point will be created through the AI Skills Academy, which will offer education and training opportunities related to AI development and application, including scholarships and visa facilitation for international students.

Finally, the document highlights the importance of a functional regulatory framework that ensures both the safe development of AI and the protection of fundamental rights, while also responding to market demands. In this regard, the EU adopted the AI Act, a legislative framework that came into force in August 2024 and introduces more flexible requirements for AI applications.  However, the document notes that the AI Act’s success will primarily depend on how workable its rules are in practice. To ensure its effective implementation, the European Commission launched the AI Act Service Desk, an information center that provides tailored responses based on the inquiries submitted by interested parties.

The Plan can be accessed via the link: AI continent action plan

Note: For quick release, this English version is provided by automated translation without human review.