EU launches ambitious AI strategy to rival US, China

The European Union has unveiled a bold new strategy to boost its competitiveness in the field of artificial intelligence (AI), aiming to catch up with global tech leaders such as the United States and China.

Under the new initiative, the EU plans to build a large-scale data processing infrastructure, streamline regulations, and increase investment in AI technologies, Caliber.Az reports per foreign media.

The European Commission has outlined a comprehensive action plan that sets the course for the bloc’s AI ambitions over the coming years.

At the heart of the strategy is the creation of a network of so-called “AI gigafactories” – powerful data and supercomputing hubs that will serve as central platforms for training advanced AI models. According to the Commission, these new facilities will be four times more powerful than existing equivalents and will house around 100,000 state-of-the-art chips, significantly expanding Europe’s computing capacity.

The EU intends to build five such gigafactories, mobilising €20 billion in investment. Each facility will also host dedicated data labs to collect, integrate, and organise information flows from a wide range of sources, further supporting AI development.

Brussels is also looking to stimulate the creation of algorithms and the adoption of AI across key sectors of the economy. Currently, only around 13.5% of European companies are using AI technologies. The strategy aims to significantly raise this figure by making AI adoption more accessible and appealing to businesses.

To support this shift, the EU will expand its educational and vocational training programmes, simplify recruitment processes for AI professionals, and create more favourable working conditions for engineers and developers.

In parallel, the European Commission is considering revisions to existing legislation that tech firms have criticised as overly restrictive. Industry leaders argue that current rules hinder access to data and obstruct innovation in the AI space.

The EU hopes that by modernising its regulatory framework and investing in critical infrastructure, it can position itself as a major player in the global AI landscape while reinforcing its technological sovereignty.

By Aghakazim Guliyev