AI first: The EU’s new AI strategy

The EU’s newly presented strategies — Apply AI Strategy and AI in Science Strategy — aim to accelerate the use of artificial intelligence in key industries and position Europe at the forefront of AI-driven science.

At the same time, the two strategies are the first steps toward implementing the AI ​​Continent Action Plan announced in April. This plan includes, among other things, the construction of AI gigafactories in Europe, the EU has announced.

Von der Leyen calls for AI-first mindset

In presenting the two AI strategies, Commission President Ursula von der Leyen reiterated her vision for AI in the EU: “I want the future of AI to be made in Europe.” She also emphasized that AI can lead to smarter, faster, and more affordable solutions — and that AI must be widely adopted.

The strategies now presented will accelerate this process. A central element is an “AI first” mindset, which must be promoted in all key sectors — from robotics to healthcare, the energy sector, and the automotive industry. Still, safety always comes first.

Susanne Dehmel, member of the Bitkom management board, had this to say about the announcement: “With the Apply AI Strategy, the EU is initiating an important shift in awareness regarding artificial intelligence. With the commitment to ‘AI first,’ artificial intelligence is to become an integral part of economic value creation, public administration, and research in the future. This is an important step towards strengthening Europe’s competitiveness in the global AI race.”

Apply AI in detail

Specifically, the Apply AI Strategy aims to harness the transformative potential of AI through broad application in strategic and public sectors, including healthcare, pharmaceuticals, energy, mobility, manufacturing, construction, agri-food, defense, communications, and culture.

Henna Virkkunen, executive vice president for technology sovereignty, security, and democracy, emphasized that this strategy will contribute to strengthening Europe’s technological sovereignty and increasing competitiveness.

To promote adoption, the Commission is mobilizing around €1 billion. Specifically, it intends to establish AI-powered, advanced screening centers for the healthcare sector. Furthermore, it will support the development of frontier models and agentic AI specifically tailored to the needs of sectors such as pharmaceuticals, manufacturing, and the environment.

Apply AI Alliance founded

The strategy also supports small and midsize enterprises (SMEs) with their specific needs and promotes an “AI first” policy. To accelerate innovation, the European Digital Innovation Hubs will be transformed into Experience Centers for AI, providing companies with privileged access to the EU innovation ecosystem. Furthermore, the Apply AI Alliance will be launched to establish a forum for coordinating actions. In parallel, the Commission has set up the AI ​​Act Service Desk to ensure the smooth application of European AI rules (EU AI Act ).

AI in science

To complement this economic initiative, the EU aims to position itself as a central hub for AI-driven scientific innovation with its AI in Science Strategy. The core of this strategy is RAISE — the “Resource for AI Science in Europe.”

RAISE is a virtual European institute that pools and coordinates AI resources to advance the application and development of AI in science. To make this happen, the EU made significant financial commitments for:

• Research funding: The aim is to double annual Horizon Europe investments in AI to over €3 billion.

• Computing power: €600 million from Horizon Europe is earmarked for improving access to computing power. This investment is intended to ensure dedicated access to AI gigafactories for researchers and startups.

• Talent: Measures to attract global scientific talent under the motto “Choose Europe” are supported by €58 million from the RAISE pilot project for Networks of Excellence and Doctoral Networks.

The next steps

As a next step, the Commission plans to present a Data Union Strategy at the end of October. It aims to ensure seamless access to structured, high-quality data, which is essential for fully exploiting AI’s potential. An official presentation of the first initiatives under the AI ​​in Science Strategy is planned for the AI ​​in Science Summit in Copenhagen on Nov. 3-4, 2025.