Source: European Parliament
The EU is determined to engage in large-scale investments in the field of artificial intelligence (AI). At the AI Action Summit of February 2025, the President of the Commission announced ‘InvestAI’[1], a large public-private partnership which aims to mobilise EUR 200 billion for investment in AI, including EUR 20 billion for ‘AI Gigafactories’.
Recognising the strategic importance of AI, over the period 2021-2027 the EU and Member States will have mobilised a total investment in supercomputing infrastructures and AI Factories in the EU of EUR 10 billion.
AI Factories will be accessible for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and research organisations. Moreover, AI Gigafactories will take the concept to the next level, by enabling large-scale facilities integrating massive computing power designed to develop, manufacture, and deploy large AI models, together with energy-efficient data centres, and talent.
Moreover, the AI Factories, the upcoming ‘AI Continent Action Plan’ and the ‘Apply AI Strategy’ will complement the ‘Union of Skills’ and the ‘Competitiveness Compass’[2] in tackling the skills gap in Europe for practitioners and users of AI.
These measures will include actions to train the next generation of AI specialists, up-skill and re-skill professionals to use AI for innovative applications in key industries, including via an ‘AI Skills Academy’.
The AI Act[3] was adopted to promote trustworthy AI. It strengthens the single market and proposes a risk-based approach, introducing rules commensurate to the risk of violating fundamental rights and safety by certain AI applications.
The Act fosters an environment where AI can be developed and utilised responsibly, enhancing trust among EU citizens and organisations, increasing adoption and therefore incentives to invest in AI.