The European Union is doubling down on its commitment to turn AI policy into action.
In a major announcement at the European AI Summit this week, leaders unveiled the “Apply AI” strategy, a plan aimed at transforming Europe from a regulatory observer into a global leader in artificial intelligence deployment and research.
The initiative, as reported by the Financial Times, signals a shift from setting rules to enabling innovation—an area where Europe has often lagged behind the United States and China.
The new framework will fund applied AI projects across industries such as manufacturing, healthcare, and transportation, helping businesses adopt AI safely while boosting productivity.
While the EU’s earlier focus was on AI regulation through the EU AI Act, this fresh push is about implementation. As European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen put it, Europe “can’t afford to just write the rules; it must also write the code.”
According to Reuters, the strategy aligns with broader European goals, including expanding AI-driven car technology and strengthening the continent’s digital infrastructure. It reflects the EU’s growing recognition that innovation and regulation must go hand in hand.
At the heart of this new direction is collaboration between public and private sectors. The Commission plans to work closely with European startups and academic institutions through initiatives like AI-on-Demand Platform, a centralized hub connecting researchers, developers, and businesses to share datasets, models, and tools.
But here’s where the conversation gets interesting. Critics argue that despite these initiatives, the EU still faces a brain drain problem—talent migrating to the U.S. for better opportunities.
A Politico report pointed out that European AI startups often struggle to scale due to limited venture funding compared to Silicon Valley or Shenzhen.
That means that while the EU is drafting ambitious strategies, execution could still lag.
From a business standpoint, this strategy may offer a more pragmatic path forward. Companies across Europe—especially small and medium enterprises—have long complained about regulatory red tape slowing their adoption of AI.
Under the new plan, the EU is expected to streamline processes, offering simplified compliance tools and AI sandboxes to test innovations safely before market launch, as detailed by Euronews.
However, there’s another layer to this discussion: ethics. While the EU promises transparency and accountability, industry experts warn that applying AI at scale could still introduce new biases and surveillance risks.
This raises the perennial question—how far can governments go in promoting AI without undermining privacy and human rights?
Some see the “Apply AI” plan as Europe’s answer to the U.S. AI Safety Institute and China’s AI Development Plan.
But unlike those, this one attempts to blend governance with grassroots innovation. It’s not about racing others but about shaping what ethical AI looks like in practice.
If the EU manages to balance innovation and integrity, it could set a global precedent for responsible AI growth. If not, it risks being left behind yet again—watching the tech giants dictate the pace of change.
