Advancing AI Adoption: Strengths and Gaps in the European Digital Innovation Hubs Network

This report investigates the strengths and gaps in the European Digital Innovation Hubs (EDIH) Network in its first stage, with regards to advancing AI adoption within Europe. As announced in the AI Continent Action Plan, the second generation of EDIHs will become AI experience centres and need to reinforce their AI-related services and capacities. From 16 extensive interviews conducted with a diverse sample of EDIHs and complemented with EDIH-reported data on their activities, the report offers an in-depth analysis of capabilities of the first generation of EDIHs, such as identifying and addressing customers' challenges, helping customers implement AI solutions, leveraging the AI ecosystem, and raising awareness and skills for AI. In this first phase, the EDIHs demonstrate strong capacity in understanding and addressing customer challenges related to AI adoption through substantial support like awareness sessions, training programs, and mentoring. EDIHs are supporting established AI applications more commonly than cutting-edge ones, which coincides with the limited AI readiness of their customers, as successfully adopting AI requires a foundational level of digital maturity, including a solid digital business strategy, skills, processes, and infrastructure. Primary sectors of AI adoption are manufacturing, health care, and energy. EDIHs are well-connected with digital providers, AI experts, and testing facilities, but they have fewer links with regulatory bodies affecting full AI implementation support. While EDIHs are active in raising AI awareness and enhancing skills, most show shortcomings in assessing social and environmental impacts and need improvements in providing regulation and ethics guidance. To address this challenge, the Apply AI Strategy will propose how to better prepare the second generation of the Network to serve as first line help desks for regulatory compliance.