The latest Competitiveness Compass’ guidelines set out by the European Commission, aiming to rekindle economic productivity and secure the EU’s competitive edge includes a priority of closing the innovation gap, by carrying out flagship actions such as setting up AI Factories Initiative, Applying AI, boosting AI in Science, and implementing Data Union Strategies. The Polish presidency of the Council of the EU included development of safe and innovative AI as one of its priorities. Meanwhile, Member States are implementing the AI Act, which, during its conception, caused many concerns regarding the EU's ability to fully utilise the power of AI.

Are we witnessing a shift in approach to embracing the AI’s potential for fostering European competitiveness and innovativeness? What role do Central Eastern European Member States play in this potential shift?

Let’s discuss the new European direction of AI development, try to better understand how Europe wants to make the most of the groundbreaking technology and consider the ability of CEE to become a vital player in the European AI revolution.

Moderator:
Kristen DAVIS, CEO & Founder, CinqC

Speakers:
Małgorzata NIKOWSKA, Head of Unit - AI Innovation and Policy Coordination AI Office, DG CNCT, European Commission
Marius Viorel POSA, Secretary of State, Ministry of Research, Innovation and Digitalization, Romania
Sonia Pérez ROMERO, Head of Unit, Artificial Intelligence, European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS)
Representative of Ministry of Digital Affairs of Poland

Christophe CARUGATI, PhD, Founder of Digital Competition

While Europe is celebrating its first true AI unicorns successfully competing around the world, it is still lagging behind its global competitors in terms of enabling enterprises to shine and scale-up.

What is standing in the way of EU’s innovators and entrepreneurs implementing AI solutions and scaling up, potentially to a level of international, global sensations? Does Central and Eastern Europe have what it take to become the hub.

How does the EU’s regulatory framework affect their ability to unleash their full potential and take their businesses to the next level? Let’s look into the greatest promises of the new European approach to doing business stirring the global What is the regulatory landscape.

Moderator:
Jeniffer BAKER, Reporter, BrusselsGeek

Speakers:
Mark Boris ANDRIJANIC, Vice President, International Markets at Kumo.AI, former Minister of Digitalization for Slovenia
Eva MAYDELL, MEP, Bulgaria
Tomasz SNAZYK, AI Chamber CEE
Malte FIRLUS, Head of EU AI Policy, Amazon

There are many steps to be taken before a brilliant idea turns into an enterprise and faces a challenge of scaling-up. Given the rate of technological advancements, the ability to quickly turn ideas into businesses is more important now, than ever before.

Does the European regulatory environment support and provide a framework for streamlined transition of research findings into refined market presence? Where can innovators turn to for help in getting their creations to the next level? Will the relatively high R&D spending in CEE result in an AI business-boom in the region?

Let’s discuss how to build bridges between research and the market in the field of AI.

Moderator:
Karolina ZBYTNIEWSKA, Euractiv

Speakers:
Rafal DUCZMAL, , Chair of the EuroHPC JU Governing Board, Head of Global Challenges Section in National Centre for Research and Development, Poland
Evghenia IARINA, Government Partnerships Executive, Coursera
Valentina IVANOVA, PhD, Coordinator, AI-Matters, Deputy Director of CEA-List Instute in charge of European affairs
Paweł KASPROWSKI, PhD, Silesian University of Technology, University Coordinator of Artificial Intelligence and Data Processing Priority Research Area
Rafał PRABUCKI, PhD, Silesian University, Poland