# AI Continent Action Plan Canonical URL: https://digital-acquis.eu/initiative/ai-continent-action-plan Entry type: policy initiative Source edition current through: 31 August 2026 (2026-08-31). This is not a page modification date. Status: not recorded. A delivered policy initiative is not necessarily legislation in force. Document type: Communication Release date: 2025-04-09 ## Summary The AI Continent Action Plan combines computing infrastructure, access to data, wider AI use and skills development. It proposes AI Factories and Gigafactories, linked data labs and support for European data spaces, alongside work on cloud infrastructure. Industrial and scientific adoption would be supported through the Apply AI and AI in Science strategies, research funding and innovation hubs. The plan also addresses startup financing, access to markets and the attraction and training of AI talent. An AI Act Service Desk and consultation on regulatory challenges are intended to help organisations understand and meet their obligations. ## Sources - [Official source]() ## Action items (36; complete published list) ### 1. Action item 310001 Set up and deploy selected AI Factories and their services (Q2 2025); Provenance: source document doc-032, paragraph 1. Digital dimension: yes. ### 2. Action item 310002 Set up a single-entry point for all users across Europe for access to AI Factories and their services (Q2 2025) Provenance: source document doc-032, paragraph 2. Digital dimension: yes. ### 3. Action item 310003 Launch procurement of the first AI-optimised Factory supercomputers (Q2/Q3 2025); Provenance: source document doc-032, paragraph 3. Digital dimension: yes. ### 4. Action item 310004 Launch a Call for Proposal to establish AI Factories Antennas (Q2 2025) Provenance: source document doc-032, paragraph 4. Digital dimension: yes. ### 5. Action item 310005 Launch a Call for networking all the AI Factories and AI Factories Antennas activities (Q2 2025) Provenance: source document doc-032, paragraph 5. Digital dimension: yes. ### 6. Action item 310006 Issue a call for expression of interest to invest in AI Gigafactories (9 April 2025); Provenance: source document doc-032, paragraph 6. Digital dimension: yes. ### 7. Action item 310007 Define the InvestAI Facility with EIBG (Q3/Q4 2025); Provenance: source document doc-032, paragraph 7. Digital dimension: yes. ### 8. Action item 310008 Launch the official call on AI Gigafactories under the EuroHPC Joint Undertaking (Q4 2025); Provenance: source document doc-032, paragraph 8. Digital dimension: yes. ### 9. Action item 310009 Address the financing gap of startups and scaleups and facilitate their access to markets, public procurement, services and talent in the EU Startup and Scaleup Strategy (Q2 2025). Provenance: source document doc-032, paragraph 9. Digital dimension: yes. ### 10. Action item 310010 Adopt a proposal for the Cloud and AI Development Act (Q4 2025 - Q1 2026), preceded by the launch of a public consultation (9 April 2025); Provenance: source document doc-032, paragraph 10. Digital dimension: yes. ### 11. Action item 310011 Adopt a Strategic roadmap for digitalisation and AI in the energy sector (2026); Provenance: source document doc-032, paragraph 11. Digital dimension: yes. ### 12. Action item 310012 Support Member States in their work on designing possible future IPCEIs in the field of AI and data processing infrastructure. Provenance: source document doc-032, paragraph 12. Digital dimension: yes. ### 13. Action item 310013 Launch a public consultation on the Data Union Strategy in order to better understand industry’s data needs (Q2 2025) before presenting the Data Union Strategy (Communication, Q3 2025); Provenance: source document doc-032, paragraph 13. Digital dimension: yes. ### 14. Action item 310014 Set up Data Labs associated with the AI factories (Q3-Q4 2025); Provenance: source document doc-032, paragraph 14. Digital dimension: yes. ### 15. Action item 310015 Continue supporting the deployment of Common European Data Spaces (including the use of common software and use of shared technical building blocks to ensure interoperability) and fostering their links with AI factories (Digital Europe Programme 2025-2027). Provenance: source document doc-032, paragraph 15. Digital dimension: yes. ### 16. Action item 310016 Launch a public consultation and Call for Evidence to identify stakeholders’ priorities and inform the Apply AI Strategy (9 April 2025); Provenance: source document doc-032, paragraph 16. Digital dimension: yes. ### 17. Action item 310017 Launch a Call for Evidence and targeted consultation activities with the scientific community to inform the AI in Science Strategy (Q2 2025); Provenance: source document doc-032, paragraph 17. Digital dimension: yes. ### 18. Action item 310018 Organise structured dialogues with industry and public sector representatives to identify sector-specific AI-related deliverables and KPIs and inform the Apply AI Strategy (Q2-Q3 2025); Provenance: source document doc-032, paragraph 18. Digital dimension: yes. ### 19. Action item 310019 Adapt the mission of European Digital Innovation Hubs to ensure they fully support the adoption of relevant AI solutions in strategic sectors (Q2-Q3 2025); Provenance: source document doc-032, paragraph 19. Digital dimension: yes. ### 20. Action item 310020 Adopt the Apply AI Strategy jointly with the AI in Science Strategy (Q3 2025); Provenance: source document doc-032, paragraph 20. Digital dimension: yes. ### 21. Action item 310021 Adopt R&I work programme Horizon Europe 2026-2027, further boosting development and deployment of AI/generative AI in strategic sectors (Q4 2025); Provenance: source document doc-032, paragraph 21. Digital dimension: yes. ### 22. Action item 310022 As part of the GenAI4EU initiative, launch calls from Horizon Europe and Digital Europe Programme – in health, cybersecurity, energy, pharma/drug, electronic communications, aerospace, robotics, manufacturing, public sector, science etc. – reaching close to EUR 700 M investment (Q1 2026); Provenance: source document doc-032, paragraph 22. Digital dimension: yes. ### 23. Action item 310023 Launch a pilot phase of the RAISE, the European AI Research Council (2026). Provenance: source document doc-032, paragraph 23. Digital dimension: yes. ### 24. Action item 310024 Support the increase in provision of EU bachelors and masters degrees as well as PhDs focusing on key technologies, including AI (Q2 2025); Provenance: source document doc-032, paragraph 24. Digital dimension: yes. ### 25. Action item 310025 Launch the AI Skills Academy (Q2 2025), including: Provenance: source document doc-032, paragraph 25. Digital dimension: yes. ### 26. Action item 310026 AI fellowship schemes to attract EU and non-EU PhD candidates, researchers and young professionals living abroad; Provenance: source document doc-032, paragraph 26. Digital dimension: yes. ### 27. Action item 310027 (together with AI Factories) a pilot certified generative AI-focused degree to facilitate top-level teaching and research of AI fellows; Provenance: source document doc-032, paragraph 27. Digital dimension: yes. ### 28. Action item 310028 a pilot AI apprenticeship programme with industry; Provenance: source document doc-032, paragraph 28. Digital dimension: yes. ### 29. Action item 310029 scholarship and returnship schemes for female professionals; Provenance: source document doc-032, paragraph 29. Digital dimension: yes. ### 30. Action item 310030 Organise Advanced Digital Skills Competitions in key technologies, including AI (Q2 2025); Provenance: source document doc-032, paragraph 30. Digital dimension: yes. ### 31. Action item 310031 Contribute to attracting and retaining skilled AI talent from non-EU countries, including via the ‘MSCA Choose Europe’ scheme for researchers (Q4 2025-2026); Provenance: source document doc-032, paragraph 31. Digital dimension: yes. ### 32. Action item 310032 Support continuous learning by workers in SMEs, mid-caps, startups and public-sector organisations with the European Digital Innovation Hubs (Q2 2025); Provenance: source document doc-032, paragraph 32. Digital dimension: yes. ### 33. Action item 310033 Promote AI literacy via dissemination activities and a repository of AI literacy initiatives (Q2 2025); Provenance: source document doc-032, paragraph 33. Digital dimension: yes. ### 34. Action item 310034 Launch a pilot, leveraging existing Talent Partnerships and the Multipurpose Legal Gateway Offices to promote the mobility of highly skilled non-EU workers in the AI sector (Q4/2025). Provenance: source document doc-032, paragraph 34. Digital dimension: yes. ### 35. Action item 310035 Launch an AI Act Service Desk in the EU AI Office (July 2025); Provenance: source document doc-032, paragraph 35. Digital dimension: yes. ### 36. Action item 310036 Launch, as part of Apply AI Strategy’s public consultation, a process to identify stakeholders’ regulatory challenges and inform possible further measures to facilitate compliance and possible simplification of the AI Act (April 2025). Provenance: source document doc-032, paragraph 36. Digital dimension: yes. ## Referenced entries - [Startup and Scaleup Strategy]() — status: not recorded. The strategy aims to make it easier for innovative companies to start, grow and operate across Europe. It combines simpler company rules and digital administration with better access to finance, markets, talent and research infrastructure. Proposed measures include the 28th regime, the European Business Wallet, regulatory sandboxes and support for deep-tech investment. Work on research commercialisation, intellectual property and procurement is intended to help ideas reach customers. Talent initiatives address education, mobility and recruitment, while common definitions, a scoreboard and an annual founder survey would track changes in the startup and scaleup environment. Source document doc-032, action item 310009: > Address the financing gap of startups and scaleups and facilitate their access to markets, public procurement, services and talent in the EU Startup and Scaleup Strategy (Q2 2025). - [Horizon Europe 2026-2027]() — status: not recorded. The next work programme will channel major investments into Europe’s industrial and scientific transformation. A €600 million flagship call under the Clean Industrial Deal will bridge R&I and deployment, fostering synergies with the Innovation Fund and supporting fusion through new PPPs. In life sciences, the Commission will establish a network of ATMP Centres of Excellence (€4 million), pilot stepwise collaborative health research funding, and invest €50 million in multi-modal genAI for biomedical research. €170 million will support a new health–climate agenda, complemented by global research collaboration and foresight on life sciences skills. Source document doc-032, action item 310021: > Adopt R&I work programme Horizon Europe 2026-2027, further boosting development and deployment of AI/generative AI in strategic sectors (Q4 2025); - [RAISE – European AI Research Council]() — status: not recorded. RAISE has entered a pilot phase as the Resource for Artificial Intelligence Science in Europe. The European Commission and the Danish Presidency of the Council of the EU organised the European AI in Science Summit in Copenhagen, where Executive Vice-President Henna Virkkunen and Commissioner Ekaterina Zaharieva announced its launch. Source document doc-032, action item 310023: > Launch a pilot phase of the RAISE, the European AI Research Council (2026). - [Cloud and AI Development Act (CADA)]() — status: in progress. This law will close Europe’s compute gap by tripling data-centre capacity within 5–7 years and meeting economy-wide needs by 2035, underpinning AI development and sovereign cloud services. It will harmonise cloud policy, set minimum criteria (including for a narrow set of highly critical use cases run on highly secure EU-based cloud), and streamline permitting, site designation and access to energy/water, ensuring geographically balanced rollout. The Act will spur R&I in resource-efficient data centres, enable targeted support consistent with State-aid rules, and complement AI Factories/Gigafactories and the Chips Act ecosystem. Source document doc-032, action item 310010: > Adopt a proposal for the Cloud and AI Development Act (Q4 2025 - Q1 2026), preceded by the launch of a public consultation (9 April 2025); - [Strategic Roadmap for Digitalisation and AI in the Energy Sector]() — status: delivered. The roadmap would connect digitalisation and AI with energy-system performance, data-centre integration and security. It proposes a model tripartite agreement for data centres, an EU rating scheme, smart-grid indicators, greater smart-meter coverage and AI models for grid management and permitting. It also envisages a framework for cross-border energy-data exchange, risk assessment for solar installations, an Energy Digitalisation Forum, a Fuel Observatory and a Better Energy Data initiative. Source document doc-032, action item 310011: > Adopt a Strategic roadmap for digitalisation and AI in the energy sector (2026); - [AI Act Service Desk]() — status: not recorded. The Service Desk will be the EU’s single-entry helpdesk and information platform for AI Act compliance. Hosted by the AI Office, it will offer free, tailored guidance for companies and public authorities—especially SMEs—plus interactive self-assessment tools, decision trees, FAQs, templates and practical advice on obligations, risk classification, conformity assessment and documentation. It will also route users to national competent authorities and consolidate standards and best-practice resources so compliance is faster, cheaper and consistent across the Single Market. Source document doc-032, action item 310035: > Launch an AI Act Service Desk in the EU AI Office (July 2025); - [AI Factories]() — status: not recorded. Open, EU-wide hubs built around EuroHPC supercomputers that bundle AI-optimised compute, data storage, programming support and talent to develop frontier models and applications. Startups, SMEs, researchers and public bodies get streamlined one-stop access to computing time, data labs linked to Common European Data Spaces, and services for testing, validation and skills—cutting training from months to weeks and lowering costs. The first 13 Factories across 17 Member States are networked, with AI Factory Antennas extending reach. EuroHPC will provide a single entry point and procure AI-dedicated systems in 2025/26, tripling Europe’s available AI capacity. Source document doc-032, action item 310001: > Set up and deploy selected AI Factories and their services (Q2 2025); Source document doc-032, action item 310002: > Set up a single-entry point for all users across Europe for access to AI Factories and their services (Q2 2025) Source document doc-032, action item 310004: > Launch a Call for Proposal to establish AI Factories Antennas (Q2 2025) Source document doc-032, action item 310005: > Launch a Call for networking all the AI Factories and AI Factories Antennas activities (Q2 2025) Source document doc-032, action item 310014: > Set up Data Labs associated with the AI factories (Q3-Q4 2025); Source document doc-032, action item 310015: > Continue supporting the deployment of Common European Data Spaces (including the use of common software and use of shared technical building blocks to ensure interoperability) and fostering their links with AI factories (Digital Europe Programme 2025-2027). Source document doc-032, action item 310027: > (together with AI Factories) a pilot certified generative AI-focused degree to facilitate top-level teaching and research of AI fellows; - [AI Gigafactories]() — status: forthcoming. AI Gigafactories will give Europe frontier-scale compute to train state-of-the-art models. Each site will exceed 100,000 high-performance processors, be designed for energy and water efficiency and circularity, and be federated with EuroHPC’s AI Factories. Financing will blend public-private partnerships with the InvestAI Facility and an official EuroHPC call in Q4 2025. Facilities will co-locate data, training, safety and evaluation capabilities; provide shared access for startups, researchers and the public sector; and anchor regional skills pipelines. As a pilot for the Competitiveness Coordination Tool, they will crowd-in private capital, spur EU AI-chip design ahead of the 2026 Chips Act review, and secure sovereign AI capacity. Source document doc-032, action item 310006: > Issue a call for expression of interest to invest in AI Gigafactories (9 April 2025); Source document doc-032, action item 310008: > Launch the official call on AI Gigafactories under the EuroHPC Joint Undertaking (Q4 2025); - [Apply AI Strategy]() — status: delivered. The Strategy adopts an “AI-first” approach to accelerate adoption across flagship sectors (including health, robotics, manufacturing, defence/space, mobility, telecoms, energy, environment, agri-food, and culture/media) backed by around €1 billion from EU programmes to catalyse deployment. It tackles cross-cutting barriers by turning EDIHs into AI Experience Centres for SMEs, building frontier capabilities via a new Frontier AI initiative, and providing clear, practical support for AI Act compliance through guidance and a Service Desk. Governance is unified through an Apply AI Alliance and an AI Observatory to set KPIs and monitor impact, complemented by the AI in Science and Data Union strategies. Source document doc-032, action item 310016: > Launch a public consultation and Call for Evidence to identify stakeholders’ priorities and inform the Apply AI Strategy (9 April 2025); Source document doc-032, action item 310018: > Organise structured dialogues with industry and public sector representatives to identify sector-specific AI-related deliverables and KPIs and inform the Apply AI Strategy (Q2-Q3 2025); Source document doc-032, action item 310020: > Adopt the Apply AI Strategy jointly with the AI in Science Strategy (Q3 2025); Source document doc-032, action item 310036: > Launch, as part of Apply AI Strategy’s public consultation, a process to identify stakeholders’ regulatory challenges and inform possible further measures to facilitate compliance and possible simplification of the AI Act (April 2025). - [Common European Data Spaces]() — status: not recorded. Will provide trusted, interoperable environments for cross-sector and cross-border data use, turning today’s fragmented datasets into high-value shared resources for businesses and public administrations. Linked tightly to Data Labs, they will offer services such as dataset cleaning and enrichment, standardised formats, synthetic data, shared technical building blocks, and cross-space interoperability to accelerate AI development and deployment. Antitrust-compliant data pooling will be enabled via trusted data intermediaries and governance under the EU data framework, lowering barriers for SMEs while protecting confidentiality and security. A common software layer (e.g. SIMPL) will simplify access and reuse across spaces, strengthening Europe’s AI ecosystem and data economy. Source document doc-032, action item 310015: > Continue supporting the deployment of Common European Data Spaces (including the use of common software and use of shared technical building blocks to ensure interoperability) and fostering their links with AI factories (Digital Europe Programme 2025-2027). - [Data Labs]() — status: not recorded. Embedded in the AI Factories ecosystem, Data Labs will federate datasets and link them to the relevant Common European Data Spaces, giving developers a single, trusted entry point to high-value data. They will provide AI developers with large volumes of high-quality data in health, energy and other domains under clear access conditions and governance. Beyond brokerage, they will offer value-added services: dataset cleaning and enrichment; standardised formats; synthetic data; and shared technical building blocks that strengthen interoperability across sectors and borders, with data-pooling compliant with competition rules via trusted intermediaries under the Data Governance Act. The Commission’s Simpl software will lower integration costs and expand participation. Source document doc-032, action item 310014: > Set up Data Labs associated with the AI factories (Q3-Q4 2025); - [Digital Europe Programme 2025-2027]() — status: not recorded. Digital Europe funds projects that move digital technology from research towards market deployment, with a focus on supercomputing, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, semiconductors, advanced digital skills and wider use of digital technologies. The programme supports the EU's green and digital objectives, resilience and digital sovereignty. It is intended to benefit citizens and businesses, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises, through direct and indirect management. Source document doc-032, action item 310015: > Continue supporting the deployment of Common European Data Spaces (including the use of common software and use of shared technical building blocks to ensure interoperability) and fostering their links with AI factories (Digital Europe Programme 2025-2027). - [European Data Union Strategy]() — status: delivered. The strategy will establish a simpler, coherent EU framework for secure, large-scale data sharing between businesses and public administrations to power AI. It will align and streamline existing rules and practices, strengthen cross-border interoperability, and embed robust safeguards for confidentiality, integrity, security and IP. Concretely, it will: promote common technical and semantic standards (e.g. schemas, metadata, APIs); enable trusted data intermediaries and data-pooling mechanisms; expand access via privacy-preserving methods (e.g. anonymisation, synthetic data, secure processing); and clarify fair, transparent licensing for B2B and public-private data use. Closely linked to AI Factories, new Data Labs will federate sectoral datasets and connect to Common European Data Spaces to unlock high-quality training data at scale. Source document doc-032, action item 310013: > Launch a public consultation on the Data Union Strategy in order to better understand industry’s data needs (Q2 2025) before presenting the Data Union Strategy (Communication, Q3 2025); - [GenAI4EU]() — status: not recorded. Will scale Europe’s generative-AI capacity through targeted R&I and deployment across sectors. Around €700 million in Horizon Europe and Digital Europe calls will fund advanced models and solutions (e.g. to optimise manufacturing lines, improve robot autonomy and human-robot collaboration, strengthen cyber-defence, and enhance medical imaging) while up to four public-sector pilots will accelerate adoption by improving decision-making, streamlining processes, and making services more accessible. Building on the AI Innovation Package and the AI Continent Action Plan, the calls in Q1 2026 will prioritise high-impact uses and innovation procurement to crowd-in private investment and translate research outputs into market-ready solutions. Source document doc-032, action item 310022: > As part of the GenAI4EU initiative, launch calls from Horizon Europe and Digital Europe Programme – in health, cybersecurity, energy, pharma/drug, electronic communications, aerospace, robotics, manufacturing, public sector, science etc. – reaching close to EUR 700 M investment (Q1 2026); - [InvestAI]() — status: not recorded. The program will mobilise €200 billion to scale Europe’s AI capacity through a layered public-private fund that de-risks private capital with the EU budget and national co-financing. It will finance four AI gigafactories each with around 100,000 latest-generation AI chips, creating the world’s largest PPP for trustworthy AI and giving startups and industry broad access to compute. Initial EU contributions will come from Digital Europe, Horizon Europe and InvestEU, with cohesion funding from Member States. InvestAI complements the €10 billion AI Factories programme and serves as a pilot for strategic-technology financing under the Competitiveness Compass. Source document doc-032, action item 310007: > Define the InvestAI Facility with EIBG (Q3/Q4 2025); ## Associated policy priorities - [Research, Technology & Industrial Capacity]() - [Infrastructure & Strategic Resources]() - [AI & Data Capabilities and Deployment]() - [Human Capital, Skills & Talent Mobility]() --- [Reading guide and interpretation notes]() · [Methodology]()