In the EU White Paper on AI from 2020 it was suggested to implement AI topics and technology in Horizon Europe (2021-2027), Digital Europe (2021-2027) and EU’s Structural and Regional Funds. Various AI actions are described in “Coordinated Plan on Artificial Intelligence”, 2021.
Within the framework of Horizon Europe and Digital Europe earmarked budgets have been allocated to boost Europe’s engagement in digitalization including AI of all industries and sectors of society. On top of the AI earmarked budgets, applicants in all thematic and bottom-up programmes are being encouraged to consider AI and AI supporting technologies. The total investment allocated to AI will depend on the applications. The following brief (not all inclusive) overview of EU programmes and initiatives indicates that billions of euros will be spend on AI activities in the coming years. See annex 3 for more details.
Digital Europe; National Competence Centres (EDIH) and Transnational Testing and Experimentation Facilities (TEF)
The Digital Europe Programme supports the European Union’s twin objectives of a green transition and digital transformation while strengthening the Union’s resilience and digital sovereignty not to be dependent on systems and solutions coming from other regions of the world. EU’s budget is €7,5 billion for the whole programme during 2021-2027. Digital Europe covers several programmes designed to bridge the gap between research and the market/society for digital technology.
Digital Europe focus on 5 key capacity areas: 1. AI, 2. Digital skills, 3. Supercomputing, 4. Cybersecurity and through 5. Regional, national and transnational centers such as National Digital Competence Centers (EDIH) and AI sandboxes in Transnational AI Testing and Experimentation Facilities (TEF). The total EU budget for EDIHs is €330 million and for TEFs €220 million 161 EDIHs and 4 TEFs have so far been funded. There are Nordic participants in 26 EDIHs and in all 4 TEFs.
Horizon Europe: Programmes with a focus on AI technologies or programmes, where AI can be the focus of projects
Horizon Europe is organised around 49 thematic oriented partnership programmes of which most, if not all can include AI elements or topics. In the following only programmes dedicated to AI, AI related R&I or which have a bottom-up approach with a potential to fund AI projects are highlighted.
Pillar I, European Research Council: 4 bottom-up programmes for individual researchers and joint research projects. Fully funded by EU with a budget of €16 billion.
Pillar II, Cluster 4 Digital, Industry and Space. The cluster is an umbrella for several partnerships focusing on digital services.
- The Partnership on Artificial Intelligence, Data and Robotics (ADR) is of particular interest. ADR is a co-programmed (EU funding, partners contribute in-kind), focusing on European sovereignty and leaderships of ADR technologies with a high environmental, social and economic impact. EU and partners budget is €2,6 billion.
- Chips Joint Undertaking (Chips JU) was approved in 2023. It merges several EU initiatives into one program. Of particular interest is the R&I calls for implementation of AI and other digital technologies. This part of Chips JU was previously known as the Key Digital Technology (KDT) programme. KDT includes several funded projects focusing on AI supported solution. The EU budget for KDT is €1,3 billion, which will be co-funded by national funding agencies with €1,5 billion.
Pillar III, European Innovation Council: Bottom-up programmes for researchers and SME’s; EU budget €10 billion for Accelerator, Pathfinder, Transition and €250 million for Eurostars 3 & Innowwide. Eurostars 3 is co-funded by national funding agencies with an additional €750 million.
Although all Nordic countries are active partners in AI oriented Horizon Europe and Digital Europe programmes and calls, there are no incentives to encourage the establishment of Nordic or Nordic-Baltic consortia. On the contrary, in larger projects it is preferred to have partners from both East, West, North and South to integrate as many countries as possible. In case of the EDIH’s, Nordic hubs could be established, but the programme does not encourage cross border hubs.