Europe is offensive in AI: 20 billion on the table to fill the delay against the giants

Europe flies to catch up – and why not exceed – its American and Chinese rivals in artificial intelligence. After announced an investment of 1.3 billion euros in AIit is with the “AI continent Action Plan”, unveiled by Ursula von der Leyen, that Brussels unveils a roadmap cut for the ambitions of the old continent. In five axes, here is.

Generative, cloud, data: the European plan in five hammer strokes

The first axis, and perhaps the most spectacular, aims to build a massive infrastructure dedicated to AI. In addition to the “AI Factories”, already in the process of deployment around European supercalcuals, the commission is betting on AI Gigafactories, real technological fortresses each endowed with 100,000 IA chips. The objective: to train advanced models on a large scale, with strategic autonomy at the end. Five of these factories should be created, supported by an investment fund of 20 billion euros called Investi.

But the models without data are a bit like an engine without fuel. Hence the creation of Data Labs, responsible for aggregating and enriching massive volumes of data, guarantors of a relevant and efficient European AI. This dynamic will be supported by a Data Union Strategy, expected by the end of the year.

The concrete adoption of the AI ​​remains a weak point: only 13.5 % of European companies have integrated it into their processes. The APP program, in preparation, wants to reverse the trend with solutions adapted to the key sectors. The whole will be based on AI Factories and Digital Innovation Hubs, real implementation hubs.

Finally, the human dimension is not forgotten. Europe is focusing on training, conversions, and the attraction of international talents. New devices, such as AI Skills Academy or the MSCA program chooses Europe, will strengthen this dynamic. And to give a stable framework, everything will be supported by a clarified regulatory system, with an AI Act Service Desk thought as one window.

An announced and tightened calendar

This plan is not content to stack promises: it is accompanied by a tightened calendar. Two public consultations are open until June 4, 2025, one on the Cloud and AI Development Act, the other on the APP strategy. A third, devoted to data union strategy, will be launched in May. AI Factories are already being deployed, with thirteen consortia selected between December 2024 and March 2025. As for the one -stop shop for AI Act, it is announced for the next months. Europe therefore goes to execution, with a rise in power planned in the summer of 2025.

Finally, to better make you understand the press release provided by the Commission, here is the plan, which therefore revolves around these five structuring pillars:

• Infrastructure: Creation of AI Factories and AI Gigafactories on the continent's scale, to provide the necessary computing power for the training of advanced models.
• Data: Implementation of Data Labs and launching a Data Union Strategy to guarantee fluid access to massive volumes of quality data.
• Sectoral adoption: Development of concrete solutions via the APP strategy, to integrate AI into the key sectors of the European economy.
• Skills: support for training, attractiveness of international talents and retraining via AI Skills Academy and targeted scholarship programs.
• Regulation: Deployment of AI Acts and creation of a one -stop shop (AI Act Service Desk) to support companies in their compliance.