EU launches €1 billion Apply AI Strategy to accelerate adoption

The European Union (EU) has launched a €1 billion “Apply AI Strategy” to accelerate artificial intelligence (AI) adoption across manufacturing, healthcare, energy, mobility, and other sectors.

The strategy, set out by the European Commission, aims to strengthen Europe’s tech sovereignty and help organizations integrate AI.

Concrete measures include establishing AI-powered screening centers for healthcare and supporting the development of frontier models and agentic AI tailored to sectors such as manufacturing, environment, and pharmaceuticals.

In July, the European Commission officially received the finalized General-Purpose AI Code of Practice. The comprehensive framework establishes voluntary guidelines for AI model providers in line with mandatory compliance requirements.

Apply AI Strategy will enhance the EU’s AI capabilities

The Apply AI Strategy aims to harness AI’s transformative potential by driving adoption of AI across strategic and public sectors including healthcare, pharmaceuticals, energy, mobility, manufacturing, construction, agri-food, defense, communications, and culture. It will also support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with their specific needs and help industries integrate AI into their operations.

The plan will help boost EU capabilities to unlock societal benefits, from enabling more accurate healthcare diagnoses to enhancing the efficiency and accessibility of public services, according to a press release. It encourages an AI-first policy to inspire more companies to consider AI a part of the solution to tackle challenges, while taking into careful consideration the benefits and risks of the technology.

The European Commission is also seeking to address key cost-cutting challenges by accelerating time-to-market through linking infrastructure, data, and testing facilities, strengthening the EU workforce to be AI ready across sectors, and launching a Frontier AI initiative to support innovation by bringing together Europe’s leading AI actors. 

To coordinate action, the European Commission is launching the Apply AI Alliance, a forum bringing together industry, the public sector, academia, social partners, and civil society. An AI Observatory will monitor AI trends and assess sectorial impacts.

In parallel, the Commission has launched the AI Act Service Desk to help ensure smooth implementation of the AI Act.

Is Europe building the future of AI?

“I want the future of AI to be made in Europe, because when AI is used, we can find smarter, faster, and more affordable solutions,” commented Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission.

“AI adoption needs to be widespread, and with these strategies, we will help speed up the process. Putting AI first also means putting safety first. We will drive this ‘AI-first' mindset across all our key sectors, from robotics to healthcare, energy, and automotive.”

Alongside the Apply AI Strategy, the AI in Science Strategy positions the EU as a hub for AI-driven scientific innovation. At its center is RAISE, the Resource for AI Science in Europe, a virtual European institute to pool and coordinate AI resources for developing AI and applying it in science.

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