Lecture: From European AI strategy to economic opportunities for your city

The European Commission is working hard on a new European AI ecosystem. With the AI Continent Action Plan, targeted funding and investments in language technology infrastructure, Europe aims to take the initiative in the global AI race. But what does this mean concretely for a municipality of 100,000 residents? What opportunities exist, and how does a local government connect to the European agenda? This session makes the European strategy concrete for everyone working daily on the city of tomorrow. From challenge-based financing to the practical implications of the AI Act: we translate the Brussels agenda into what it means for local governments.

We then dive into the world of European Digital Innovation Consortia. EDICs are one of the concrete instruments through which Europe aims to realise its AI ambitions — but what exactly are they, and what can a municipality gain from them? We show how cities can access European knowledge, networks and resources through the EDIC structure — and how you can already make use of this today. Together, the two perspectives paint a clear picture of the European AI architecture: from strategy to instrument, from Brussels to the street.