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Call for strategic investment in AI infrastructure

Ai 2024

The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) is urging the European Union to boost its investment in secure connectivity, resilient infrastructure, and supply chains to ensure it stays competitive in the rapidly evolving field of general-purpose AI (GPAI). These measures are seen as essential in maximising the benefits of generative AI in line with European values, needs, and fundamental rights.

In its exploratory opinion on Artificial intelligence/the way forward, in which it focuses on the key aspects of GPAI, the EESC stresses that the dynamism and complexity of AI require ongoing updates to the EU’s AI Act. This adaptability is necessary to create a trustworthy AI environment that reflects the EU’s fundamental rights and values.

While GPAI models are largely technical and apply predominantly in the business-to-business (B2B) sector, their indirect impact on workers and consumers cannot be overlooked. This is why the EESC recommends organising dialogues with key stakeholders, including representatives of employers’ organisations and trade unions, to raise awareness about GPAI and address concerns about workplace codes of practice and workers’ rights. Continue reading “Call for strategic investment in AI infrastructure”

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Integrating AI in the EU public services

Ai2

The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) has adopted an opinion that aims to safeguard citizens’ fundamental rights in the midst of the implementation of AI technology in public services.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is becoming more widespread in society and the digital transition has changed ways of working – including the organisation of work itself. These changes have a significant impact on society, the economy, production and work. Though the development of AI contains potential benefits, it nevertheless raises concerns about the effects it could have on employment levels and working conditions.

Public services are also impacted by this new technology and there are already several cases of public services in the EU using AI. Though AI offers (among others) the possibility to automate complex and repetitive processes and help make public services more accessible to citizens, generative and predictive AI algorithms may (if unchecked) lead to bias. Continue reading “Integrating AI in the EU public services”

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Commission to invest €865 million to support fast and secure digital connectivity networks

Networks

Today, the Commission has adopted the second Work Programme for the digital part of the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) Digital, which defines the scope and objectives of EU-funded actions to improve Europe’s digital connectivity infrastructures. These actions will receive around €865 million of funding from 2024 to 2027.

Improving Europe’s connectivity infrastructure is fundamental for achieving Europe’s 2030 Digital Decade objectives to connect all citizens and business with 5G and gigabit connectivity. By fostering public and private investments, CEF Digital contributes to connectivity projects of common EU interest and to the deployment of safe, secure and sustainable high-performance infrastructure, such as Gigabit and 5G networks, across the EU.

The new CEF Digital Work Programme will support actions in the following areas:

    1. The deployment of 5G infrastructures in Europe, co-financing large-scale projects promoting the rollout of Gigabit and standalone 5G infrastructures, as well as the integration of edge cloud and computing capabilities in vertical sectoral applications, such as health, manufacturing, transport, and logistics;
    2. The deployment and significant upgrade of backbone networks, including quantum communication networks and submarine cables, to increase the performance, resilience, and capacity of connectivity networks within and between Member States, as well as between the Union and third countries;
    3. The deployment of operational digital platforms for transport or energy infrastructures, by optimising the energy use of information and communication technology (ICT) and reducing its environmental impact. These operational digital platforms will build on and integrate with existing and emerging European data, cloud and edge computing, and connectivity infrastructures, funded by the Digital Europe Programme and Horizon Europe.

Continue reading “Commission to invest €865 million to support fast and secure digital connectivity networks”