Analysis of the Policy Framework of the European Union's "Continental Artificial Intelligence Action Plan"

List of Key Chapter Titles

1. Why is an AI Continent Needed?
2. Five Strategic Areas of the Action Plan
3. Computing Infrastructure: AI Factories, Giga Factories, and the Cloud & AI Development Act
4. Data: Data Alliance Strategy
5. Skills: AI Talent Strategy
6. Algorithm Development and Application: Applied AI Strategy
7. Simplifying Rules: Facilitating the Implementation of the AI Act
8. The European AI Approach: Excellence and Trust

Document Introduction

Against the backdrop of an accelerating restructuring of the global technological power landscape, artificial intelligence has become a core element determining national competitiveness, security posture, and governance models. The "AI Continent Action Plan" released by the European Commission is a comprehensive response to this strategic challenge. The plan aims to shape Europe into a leading force in the global AI field. Its strategic core can be summarized as the dual pillars of "Excellence and Trust," which means vigorously promoting cutting-edge technology R&D and industrial applications while building a regulatory and trust framework based on security and the protection of fundamental rights.

This report systematically outlines the five strategic implementation areas of this action plan. At the computing infrastructure level, the EU plans to build large-scale model training and fine-tuning capabilities through "AI Factories" and the more powerful "AI Giga Factories" projects, and leverage the "Cloud & AI Development Act" to drive a significant expansion of sustainable data center capacity. In terms of the data ecosystem, the "Data Alliance Strategy" aims to break down data barriers, simplify rules, and aggregate and govern high-quality, multi-source data through "Data Labs" established within AI Factories, providing fuel for algorithmic innovation.

Talent is the foundation of technological competition. The EU's skills strategy focuses on building a top-tier talent pool through multiple channels such as international recruitment partnerships, AI scholarships, AI Skills Academies, and specialized degree pilots in generative AI. It also utilizes European Digital Innovation Hubs to support large-scale skills retraining. In the technology implementation phase, the "Applied AI Strategy" explicitly aims to accelerate the integration and penetration of AI in key industries such as healthcare, automotive, and advanced manufacturing, supporting businesses and the public sector in deploying promising solutions.

The regulatory environment is a distinctive feature and key aspect of the European model. The implementation of the "AI Act" is seen as the cornerstone for enhancing citizen trust and providing legal certainty. To this end, the action plan proposes specific facilitation measures, including the planned launch of an "AI Act Service Desk" in the summer of 2025, designed to provide businesses with free customized tools and compliance consultations, thereby reducing the institutional costs of innovation and application.

Overall, the "AI Continent Action Plan" outlines a clear roadmap for the EU aimed at ensuring its "technological sovereignty," enhancing economic competitiveness, and defending its democratic values. The plan is not only about industrial policy but is also deeply embedded in the EU's overall considerations regarding security, geopolitical balance, and governance models in the digital age. Its implementation outcomes will have a profound impact on the global AI governance paradigm and the distribution of technological power.