EU’s top AI adviser urges commissioners to use the technology to fix bloc’s economy
The bloc’s new AI envoy wants Brussels to focus on using AI to lift productivity, rather than chasing U.S. and Chinese models.
The European Commission's chief AI adviser urged the bloc's commissioners to prioritize using artificial intelligence to improve the EU's struggling productivity, rather than solely focusing on developing cutting-edge AI models. Jim Hagemann Snabe, the EU's new special envoy for industrial AI, addressed the 27 commissioners at a September 4 seminar, highlighting the technology's potential to drive growth in various sectors like healthcare, agriculture, and transportation.
The EU aims to capture the benefits of AI's rapid advancements while managing its risks to jobs, security, and society. Commission President Ursula von der Leyen emphasized that Europe should "draw the greatest value from" AI rather than merely leading its development. The Commission appointed Snabe as a special envoy in July to help shape the EU's strategy on AI and advise von der Leyen and Executive Vice President Henna Virkkunen.
The focus shifted from whether Europe could build the world's leading AI models to how it could leverage the technology to boost its economy. The seminars provided an early glimpse into how the Commission would approach this shift, with a call to identify the most important AI applications, address obstacles, and remove barriers.
Examples of AI applications mentioned include rules for testing autonomous vehicles, secure data spaces for personalized medical treatment, and a digital "farmer co-pilot" providing advice based on live farm data. The goal is to extend Mario Draghi's 2024 competitiveness report's economic changes from factors to the speed of economic evolution.
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