The European Commission (EC) unveiled a €1.1 billion pot to fund AI uptake across a range of sectors in its latest effort to cut reliance on US and Chinese technology, and promote sovereignty.

Its Apply AI strategy seeks to drive adoption across strategic and public sectors including healthcare, pharmaceuticals, energy, mobility, manufacturing, construction, agriculture, defence, communications and culture. It also aims to support SMEs with specific needs and to help industries integrate AI into their operations.

The plan will explore establishing AI-compatible advanced screening centres for healthcare, and support development of frontier models and agentic AI tailored to sectors including manufacturing and the environment.

In the future, the EC stated initiatives spanning finance, tourism and e-commerce could also benefit.

As well as unlocking societal benefits, the EC believes its strategy will address cross cutting challenges, speed time to market by linking infrastructure, data and testing facilities, and strengthen workforces to be “AI ready”.

The effort follows an AI action plan unveiled in June intended to cut red tape and costs for start-ups hit by the bloc’s landmark AI rules which came into force in 2024.

Ursula von der Leyen, president of the EC, expressed a desire for the future of AI “to be made in Europe”.

“Because when AI is used, we can find smarter, faster and more affordable solutions. AI adoption needs to be widespread and with these strategies, we will help speed up the process.”

The funding pot will be generated from existing European Union research projects including Horizon Europe and the Digital Europe programme, with the hope member states and the private sector will provide further investment.