Europe’s AI Continent Action Plan: Building a future powered by trust and innovation

The European Commission has unveiled its AI Continent Action Plan, a forward-looking strategy designed to establish Europe as a global leader in AI. At the heart of this vision is a uniquely European model – anchored in democratic values, open innovation, and industrial resilience. Spanning infrastructure, regulation, entrepreneurship, and data sovereignty, the plan lays the foundation for a future in which AI is harnessed to serve and uplift all Europeans.

1. Infrastructure: scale up AI computing across Europe

Europe’s AI ambitions hinge on a robust computing infrastructure, essential for the entire lifecycle of AI development – from training to deployment.

Key actions:

• AI factories: These are dynamic ecosystems integrating supercomputers, data, research facilities, and expertise. By 2025, 13 AI Factories across 17 EU countries will be operational, linked via EuroHPC. They provide open access to compute resources, data, and collaborative spaces, prioritising startups and public projects.
• AI gigafactories: Inspired by CERN, these large-scale data centres will host frontier models with trillions of parameters built on over 100,000 advanced AI processors. Designed as public-private partnerships, five Gigafactories will be co-financed via the InvestAI Facility, which aims to mobilise €20 billion in investment.
• Cloud and AI Development Act (Q4 2025–Q1 2026): A legislative proposal to drastically increase EU cloud and edge computing capacity. The act addresses bureaucratic delays, sustainability, and sovereignty concerns in data infrastructure. It supports fast permitting for efficient, eco-conscious data centres and proposes a common EU cloud marketplace.

2. Data: enable AI through a trustworthy data ecosystem

Access to high-quality, interoperable data is vital to train accurate, unbiased, and effective AI models.

Key actions:

• Data Union Strategy (Q3 2025): To improve availability and governance of data across sectors and reduce regulatory complexity. It emphasises secure data sharing, reduction of administrative burden, and protection of copyright and sensitive information.
• Data labs: Integrated into AI Factories, these labs will consolidate data across sectors, clean and enrich datasets, offer tools for interoperability, and link with EU data spaces (e.g., health, energy, language, and science).
• Simpl: A shared cloud software enabling easier participation in data spaces by providing secure tools for data exchange, access control, and identity verification.

3. AI adoption: drive uptake in strategic sectors

Despite growth, only 13.5% of EU companies had adopted AI as of 2024. The goal is to boost use in industry and public services.

Key actions:

• Apply AI strategy (Q3 2025): A flagship strategy to promote AI in key sectors like manufacturing, energy, health, agriculture, defence, and creative industries. It includes:
  • Public sector pilot projects using generative AI.
  • A regulatory observatory under the EU AI Office.
  • Use of public procurement (15% of EU GDP) to scale AI adoption.
• European digital innovation hubs: These will transition into AI Experience Centres by December 2025. They provide SMEs and public entities with training, access to computing resources, funding advice, and support with regulatory sandboxes and testing and experimentation facilities.
• GenAI4EU: A €700 million investment (2024–2027) supporting generative AI R&D for applications in manufacturing, healthcare, cybersecurity, etc.
• RAISE (European AI Research Council): Launching in 2026, this resource will support both “Science for AI” (tech development) and “AI in Science” (AI for research breakthroughs).

4. Talent: reinforce AI skills and training

Building and retaining AI talent is a linchpin for sustaining Europe’s competitive edge.

Key actions:

• AI skills academy (launching Q2 2025): A central hub for AI training, it will offer:
  • A certified generative AI degree.
  • Fellowships for PhDs and researchers from within and outside the EU.
  • Apprenticeship and returnship programs, especially for women in tech.
  • Digital Skills Competitions to attract youth.
• AI literacy campaigns: Linked to the Digital Education Roadmap and DigComp 3.0, these will raise awareness and provide training paths to diverse profiles.
• Visa reforms and talent partnerships: To attract global researchers and experts through streamlined BlueCard and MSCA Choose Europe schemes.
• Multipurpose Legal Gateway Offices: To be piloted in partner countries from 2026 to enhance international mobility of AI workers.

5. Regulation: support compliance with the AI Act

Regulatory clarity is essential to foster innovation while maintaining safety and rights protections.

Key actions:

• Ongoing regulatory refinement: Through public consultations (April 2025), the Commission will assess the AI Act’s implementation challenges and consider streamlining or additional measures.
• AI Act Service Desk (July 2025): A dedicated helpdesk to guide stakeholders – especially SMEs – through AI Act compliance. It will include decision trees, templates, and FAQs.
• National AI regulatory sandboxes: Operational by August 2026, these will support experimental development of high-risk AI systems in real-world conditions.