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Paris – More than 60 renowned European companies have joined the “EU AI Champions Initiative” to advance the development and application of artificial intelligence (AI) in Europe. The goal of the initiative, presented at the international AI summit in Paris, is to unlock Europe’s full potential in the AI sector through close collaboration between corporations and the tech industry.
Participating are renowned European AI startups such as Helsing, Mistral AI and Dataiku, large companies from various sectors like Airbus and Dassault, as well as German companies like Deutsche Bank, Lufthansa, Siemens and Volkswagen.
AI to boost Europe’s key sectors
The aim is to integrate applied AI into Europe’s industrial base to increase productivity, resilience, and economic sovereignty, especially in key sectors such as manufacturing, energy, and defense. More than 20 international major capital investors have earmarked 150 billion euros for AI-related projects in Europe over the next five years, emphasizing the significant potential of AI in Europe.
From the perspective of German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Europe can also invest hundreds of billions of euros in the development of artificial intelligence. “One thing is very clear: We need more investment in AI,” said Scholz. “This can also be very successful in Europe and especially in Germany.” Studies have shown “that we are leading in the world in research, in the scientific management of the challenges associated with this new possibility of artificial intelligence.”
Many of those who have worked on well-known AI models have been educated, conducted research, and taught at German universities, Scholz said before his participation in the conference in Paris. Therefore, the focus now is on ensuring that the private capital market is able to promote the growth of successful AI companies in Germany and Europe. “We have enough money in Europe to make such large, hundred-billion-euro investments, as is the case in the USA. And these opportunities must now be used.”
At the two-day international action summit on artificial intelligence (AI) until Tuesday in Paris, around 1,500 participants from about 100 countries are consulting. Numerous heads of state and government, as well as industry representatives and experts, are attending the conference. (February 10)