Europe in the Intelligent Age 2025

Examples of private sector-led lighthouse initiatives for Europe FIGURE 5 AI (Applied AI, generative AI and industrialized ML) Building globally leading industrial AI Become the centre of industrial AI through a consortium that builds at-scale applied AI solutions leveraging existing research strengths in applications such as pharmaceuticals manufacturing Accelerating AI in healthcare Redirect a portion of healthcare spending to developing AI-based diagnostic and treatment pathways Semiconductors Imparting semiconductor skills and capability Launch an industry-driven semiconductor skills programme to attract, develop and retain world-class talent of the future Building out semiconductor manufacturing Ensure sufficient specific front-end and back-end manufacturing capabilities for strategic autonomy Playing to strengths Strengthen and scale European strongholds in early-stage R&D, equipment, industrial, automotive and power electronics Quantum technology Scaling quantum hubs Build globally leading hubs in quantum computing, quantum sensing and quantum communications, driven by tech leader consortia and public-private co-investments Forming quantum coalitions Forge cross-sector coalitions for companies that share a common quantum tech backbone Advanced connectivity Building next-generation digital infrastructure Co-fund a next-gen digital infrastructure joint venture with Europe’s leading companies, with support from regulators, to build out necessary infrastructure to create the data for new productivity-related business models Creating API ecosystems Build an API alliance among equipment manufacturers, operators and select industrial verticals (e.g. automotives) to jointly develop an investment roadmap for developing and scaling use cases leveraging this technology across Europe Technology Lighthouse initiatives Lighthouse initiatives are typically driven by private sector leaders. But they can benefit from the public sector providing co-funding and a supportive environment. They can take many forms, and should take into consideration the strategic posture per technology, for example: –Next-generation digital infrastructure joint venture: In scaled technologies where Europe has at least partial leadership positions, such as advanced connectivity, efforts could focus on driving further scale and adoption. For instance, Europe’s leading companies could co-fund a joint venture, with support from regulators, to build out data collection infrastructure necessary for new business models that drive productivity in public- or private-sector verticals. To provide just a few examples, this could mean deploying smart city sensors across all major European urban areas that collect urban movement data to predict and limit incidents (road conditions, accidents, public transport delays, etc.), or data related to the management of water systems that could be piloted in “a model city” to showcase the art of the possible. Such a platform for data collected by millions of sensors across regions could be leveraged for a host of new business models and drive productivity by saving on costs and waste. –Scaling quantum hubs: In nascent technologies where Europe is well positioned to lead, such as quantum, lighthouse initiatives might focus on building scale (including consolidating today’s relatively fragmented set- up) and enabling commercialization. To do so, for instance, public-private partnerships could enable the creation of globally-leading hubs in quantum computing, quantum sensing and quantum communication for the development of interdisciplinary solutions. These hubs could support scale and rapid commercialization of frontier tech like diamond nitrogen vacancy (NV) centres in sensing or quantum key distribution in communications. Large industrial players could, in partnerships, drive demand by procuring the tech of tomorrow for, say, sensing in healthcare Europe in the Intelligent Age: From Ideas to Action 14