As part of the joint application by Portugal and Spain to install an Artificial Intelligence (AI) Factory, the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) launched a invitation to submit contributions.
Available through a simplified form open to all potential interested parties, it aims to gather opinions and priorities for the development of the application. The deadline for initial submission ends on October 21, 2024, but the invitation will remain open after that date. Participation is voluntary and non-binding.
Portugal, through the FCT and its digital services unit FCCN, is preparing this application, in consortium with Spain, for the installation of an AI Factory. This initiative follows the package of measures launched by the European Union in January 2024 to support startups and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in developing trustworthy AI in line with EU values and standards, including the AI Act.
AI Factories are innovative ecosystems that bring together key resources, such as computing power, data, and experts, to create advanced Artificial Intelligence models. These ecosystems are supported by AI-optimized supercomputers and aim to accelerate the development of technological solutions in Europe.
The implementation of these factories is the responsibility of the European Joint Undertaking for High-Performance Computing (EuroHPC), which launched a competition on September 10, 2024, to select countries or consortia to host these innovation centers.
More information about AI Factories is available at European Commission Digital Strategy and on the website of EuroHPC.
For further information, please contact the FCT Digital Service for Advanced Computing via email: rnca@fccn.pt.
