Artificial intelligence (AI) is not only transforming our industry and society, but also opening up new markets and business opportunities for SMEs in the digital sector. Thus, European DIGITAL SME Alliance (DIGITAL SME) seeks to take a central role in  the European debate on Artificial Intelligence, and therefore joins the European AI Alliance.

‘Compared to other regions like the US or China, Europe still needs to walk an extra mile to catch up with the development of Artificial Intelligence, especially in its real-world implementation. However, European digital SMEs produce AI solutions that are trusted by the consumers: they offer more security, privacy and higher quality. Therefore, we want to promote their achievements, further engage with relevant stakeholders, and lead the public discussions on AI. Joining the European AI Alliance will contribute to this mission’ – commented Dr. Oliver Grün, President of DIGITAL SME.

European AI Alliance is a multi-stakeholder forum, set up by the European Commission to engage relevant stakeholders in a broad and open discussion on all aspects of Artificial Intelligence. Besides other activities, it complements and supports the work of the AI High Level Expert Group, where DIGITAL SME is represented by expert George Sharkov.

The most recent milestone for the European AI Alliance and, its expert group, is the development of the Draft Ethic Guidelines for Trustworthy AI. Once approved, European companies that follow these guidelines could market their products with the  label ‘Trustworthy AI made in Europe’. Such common branding is thought to highlight the competitive advantage of European products in the global market. DIGITAL SME has contributed to drafting such guidelines through its expert George Sharkov, and believes they provide a good framework to develop innovative AI solutions in a trustworthy and human-centric manner.