Europe is betting on digital sovereignty: it wants to innovate while protecting security, values and strategic autonomy. In Bratislava, a vision was presented of how to connect research, businesses and the single market with concrete investments and rules for trustworthy artificial intelligence. The goal is for the European Union to remain master of its digital fate.
Computing capacity, ecosystem and skills
The development and deployment of computing capacity for AI has been designated a top-level strategic priority. The Digital Europe Programme funds projects that strengthen AI capabilities and accelerate the digitalisation of businesses and public administration. A European network of more than 200 digital innovation hubs helps small and medium-sized enterprises and public authorities roll out advanced technologies with measurable benefits.
Investments in supercomputers and “AI factories” are set to reach 10 billion euros in the period 2021–2027, with the EU moving toward leadership in multimodal and large-scale systems. AI “gigafactories” are also being launched, and the strong response to the call for expressions of interest confirms industrial will and capacity in Europe. People are not being forgotten either: the AI Skills Academy is to prepare students, professionals and workers to use (including generative) AI in key sectors of the economy.
Rules for trust and cybersecurity
Trust is a precondition for success, which is why the EU has adopted a package of digital legislation. Under the AI Act, providers of the most advanced models must notify the Commission when they have such a model, and assess and mitigate systemic risks, including potential cyber misuse. The NIS2 Directive requires operators of critical infrastructure to implement state-of-the-art measures against cyber threats, including those stemming from “frontier” AI. The Cyber Resilience Act, in turn, requires hardware and software manufacturers to test for vulnerabilities before market release and throughout the entire lifecycle, and to fix them promptly.
The emergence of “frontier” models makes the swift transposition and application of these rules an urgent priority. Europe has also proposed an action plan for cybersecurity and AI to enable Member States to join forces and strengthen resilience. The Union’s approach is simple: technologies must be innovative and safe, competitive and resilient, and aligned with democratic values. The decisions taken today will shape the continent’s digital infrastructure for decades.
