To become a global leader in artificial intelligence (AI) is the objective of the AI Continent Action Plan launched on April 9 2025.

As set out by President von der Leyen at the AI Action Summit in February 2025 in Paris, this ambitious initiative is set to transform Europe’s strong traditional industries and its exceptional talent pool into powerful engines of AI innovation and acceleration.

The race for leadership in AI is far from over. From cutting-edge foundation models to specialised AI applications, the AI landscape in the EU is dynamic. It is driven by research, emerging technologies and a thriving ecosystem of startups and scaleups. The AI Continent Action Plan will boost the European Union’s AI innovation capabilities through actions and policies.

The AI Continent Action Plan aims to boost and accelerate EU AI policies by investing in large-scale AI computing infrastructures, improving access to data, accelerating AI adoption in strategic EU sectors, strengthening AI skills and talent, and fostering regulatory compliance and simplification. To achieve this goal, EU institutions, governments, companies, researchers, and developers must work together, committing to a joint endeavour that takes cooperation to a new level. In particular, the EU AI Office will work in close collaboration with the Member States through the AI Board to ensure a consistent policy approach, taking into account the dynamic technological developments.

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