Can Europe lead in AI?
On November 3, CEPS brought together some of Europe´s leading minds for the conference on “Building Europe’s Ecosystem of Excellence in AI” to discuss how Europe can boost its competitiveness by leveraging AI for its industrial strategy and labour force.
The discussion focused on a wide range of topics, from the impact of AI on the labour market and evolving skill requirements to the ongoing debate surrounding AI-driven augmentation versus automation, and the necessity of reskilling and upskilling initiatives. The discussion also provided insights into the role of AI in driving industrial innovation through technological hubs, gigafactories and policy strategies in the semiconductor sector for Europe to catch up with its global competitors.
Key contributions included:
- Aldo Faisal’s keynote on AI sovereignty and the importance of maintaining control over data, models and compute capabilities.
- Pierre-Alexandre Balland and Andrea Renda’s presentation on redesigning Europe’s industrial strategy through data-driven innovation, drawing on two years of CEPS research.
- Laura Nurski and Elena Magrini’s analysis of how AI is reshaping jobs, skills and career pathways, identifying emerging opportunities and evolving employment patterns.
Two high-level panel discussions brought together leading voices including Holger Hoos, Martin Hullin, Bart Groothuis, Gaspard Demur, Marta Przyvala, Michael Schönstein, Andrea Glorioso, Elena Magrini, Alex Petropoulos, and Andreas Aktoudianakis. The panels explored critical themes shaping Europe's digital future: sovereign capabilities, open-source innovation, and the strategic importance of partnerships and reciprocity in advancing the EU's long-term digital agenda. Discussions also examined AI's transformative impact on the workplace, from redefining tasks and skills to reshaping organisational structures, management models, and workplace culture.
The event marked the end of the European Ecosystem of Excellence in AI project, launched in January 2024, which aimed at assessing the European AI Ecosystem as well as developing policy recommendations in industrial and labour market policy to boost Europe´s competitiveness in the field of AI.
Learn more about the project here and check the following key papers: