The European Commission announced on the 10th that it has officially launched a tender for the establishment of artificial intelligence factories , aiming to enhance the EU's global competitiveness in the field of artificial intelligence through artificial intelligence factories.
The European Commission issued a communiqué that day stating that the European Commission proposed an artificial intelligence innovation plan in January this year, and the establishment of artificial intelligence factories is an important part of the plan. These artificial intelligence factories will be built around supercomputers affiliated with the "European High Performance Computing Consortium" and will be open to European users such as start-ups, industries and researchers in the future. The AI factory will bring together key elements needed to develop artificial intelligence, including computing power, data and talent. These AI factories can help developers train large AI models with the help of supercomputers affiliated with the European High Performance Computing Consortium and by providing services such as data access, computing and storage.
These artificial intelligence factories will also connect with the artificial intelligence initiatives of EU member states to jointly create a vibrant artificial intelligence ecosystem. The establishment of artificial intelligence factories will promote the development and application of artificial intelligence technology in multiple industries in Europe, including health care, energy, automobiles and transportation, defense and aerospace, robotics and manufacturing, clean technology and agricultural technology, etc.
European Commission President Von der Leyen said that Europe must strive to become a global leader in artificial intelligence innovation, and the artificial intelligence factory will help ensure that Europe is at the forefront of this transformative technology field.
Margrethe Vestager, the European Commission’s executive vice-president in charge of digital policy and competition, said the AI factory will help European small and medium-sized enterprises, scientists and start-ups grow by harnessing the huge potential of Europe’s home-grown supercomputers. Innovators in the field of artificial intelligence.
According to the communiqué, the bidding plan will be funded by nearly 1 billion euros from the "Digital Europe" project and the "Horizon Europe" plan, and EU member states will provide equal financial support. The rolling tender will last until December 31, 2025, with the first deadline being November 4 this year. As long as funds are available, deadlines will be set every 3 months thereafter.