The European AI Alliance – a forum to discuss the future of AI in Europe
Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming our economy and society. AI increasingly contributes to many sectors such as healthcare, agriculture, public administrations and transport and it also helps address grand challenges such as ageing and climate change. Moreover, AI offers major business opportunities for European industry, SMEs and start-ups and contributes to productivity growth.
To make the most of what AI can offer, the Commission has already invested in research and innovation, created a Digital Single Market, and it is now committed to intensifying these efforts. It will present a comprehensive European strategy on AI in the coming months (in line with the conclusions of the European Council of 19 October).
As any technology that has a direct impact on people's lives and work, the emergence of AI also raises legitimate concerns that should be addressed to build trust and raise awareness.
Given the broad impact AI is expected to have, the full participation of all actors including businesses, academics, policy makers, consumer organisations, trade unions, and other representatives of the civil society is essential. This is why the Commission plans to set up a European AI Alliance to act as a multi-stakeholder forum engaged in a broad and open discussion of all aspects of AI development and its impact on the economy and society.
Call for the High-Level Expert Group on Artificial Intelligence
The High-Level Expert Group on Artificial Intelligence will serve as the steering group for the European AI Alliance's work, interact with other initiatives, help stimulate a multi-stakeholder dialogue, gather participants' views and reflect them in its analysis and reports.
In addition to its steering group, selected following this call for applications, the AI Alliance will consist of stakeholders who voluntarily sign up to participate through an online platform. The participation in the AI Alliance will be opened later this spring, and announced in due course.
Objectives of the High-Level Expert Group on Artificial Intelligence
The general objective of the group shall be to support the implementation of the European strategy on AI. This will include the elaboration of recommendations on future AI-related policy development and on ethical, legal and societal issues related to AI, including socio-economic challenges.
In particular, the group will be tasked to:
- Advise the Commission on next steps addressing AI-related mid to long-term challenges and opportunities through recommendations which will feed into the policy development process, the legislative evaluation process and the development of a next-generation digital strategy.
- Support the Commission on further engagement and outreach mechanisms to interact with a broader set of stakeholders in the context of the AI Alliance, share information and gather their input on the group's and the Commission's work.
- Propose to the Commission AI ethics guidelines, covering issues such as fairness, safety, transparency, the future of work, democracy and more broadly the impact on the application of the Charter of Fundamental Rights, including privacy and personal data protection, dignity, consumer protection and non-discrimination. These guidelines will build on the work of the European Group on Ethics in Science and New Technologies (the European Group on Ethics in Science and New Technologies (EGE) is an independent advisory body established by the President of the European Commission) and of the EU Fundamental Rights Agency in this area (the Fundamental Rights Agency is carrying out an assessment of the current challenges faced by producers and users of new technology with respect to fundamental rights compliance (project "Big Data and Fundamental Rights").
How to apply to the High-Level Expert Group on Artificial Intelligence?
Details of the application and selection procedures are available in the Register of Commission expert groups (with Privacy statement giving details on the protection of your personal data). The duly signed applications must be sent by 9 April, 2018 at the latest.
- Call for application (including application procedure (section 3, page 6), and forms to fill in)