The European Commission has unveiled two funding calls totaling €307.3 million under Horizon Europe to propel artificial intelligence deployment across European industries and public sectors. These initiatives aim to enhance technological competitiveness, reduce foreign technology dependencies, and support Europe's strategic digital transformation through targeted investments in AI, robotics, and emerging technologies.
By Creatives Unite NewsroomThe European Commission has unveiled two new funding calls totaling €307.3 million under the Horizon Europe program, aimed at propelling artificial intelligence (AI) deployment across European industries and public sectors to enhance competitiveness and reduce reliance on foreign technologies.
The initiative, part of the broader Horizon Europe 'Digital, Industry and Space' cluster, allocates €221.8 million to projects focused on developing trustworthy AI services, innovative data technologies, and bolstering Europe's technological sovereignty. This includes support for AI advancements, robotics, quantum computing, photonics, and virtual worlds, with a strong emphasis on aligning with the Commission's Apply AI Strategy—a plan designed to integrate AI into practical applications for businesses and governments, announced on October 8, 2025.
An additional €85.5 million is earmarked for a second call promoting open strategic autonomy in digital and emerging technologies, including next-generation AI agents, industrial and service robotics, and advanced materials with sensing capabilities. Over €40 million within the primary call is dedicated to the Open Internet Stack Initiative, fostering European sovereign digital commons through end-user applications and core technologies.
These grants align with the EU's AI Continent Action Plan, launched on April 9, 2025, which targets key priorities such as computing infrastructure, data systems, skills development, technology adoption, and regulatory simplification to drive European productivity and global AI leadership. The Commission argues that this framework is vital for countering dependencies on non-EU providers and fostering sustainable growth.
To guide execution, the Commission has formed the Apply AI Alliance, a multi-stakeholder forum uniting industry leaders, academia, AI providers, and policymakers to ensure policies reflect real-world needs, established on October 8, 2025. Complementing this is the AI Observatory, set to launch in Q2 2026, which will monitor AI trends, impacts, and progress across sectors.
Applications for the funding are now open until April 15, 2026, with selected projects poised to expand Europe's AI capabilities and move beyond experimental pilots into widespread implementation. Eligible applicants include businesses, public administrations, academia, and entities from EU Member States and associated countries.
The Commission acknowledges that the success of this investment hinges on concurrent advancements in foundational elements like infrastructure, data accessibility, and workforce training—areas recognized as critical for long-term AI expansion across the continent.
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