Beyond the horizon: A human-friendly deployment of artificial intelligence and related technologies
Programme Category
Programme Name
Programme Description
Horizon Europe is the European Union (EU) funding programme for the period 2021 – 2027, which targets the sectors of research and innovation. The programme’s budget is around € 95.5 billion, of which € 5.4 billion is from NextGenerationEU to stimulate recovery and strengthen the EU’s resilience in the future, and € 4.5 billion is additional aid.
Identifier Code
Call
Summary
The history of “artificial intelligence” technologies (AI) is marked by great optimism and expectation, sometimes followed by disappointment. AI has had significant impact in the arts and humanities, and AI-based methods and tools are becoming more widely used in the cultural arena. Today the collection of computer technologies commonly labelled artificial intelligence, along with related technologies for instance in the fields of data science, neuroscience and biotechnology, already show the potential to disrupt and impact the rights of individuals and the wellbeing of societal structures. AI systems have been (mis-)used to micro-target and influence voters in elections as well as in the creation and dissemination of disinformation, and otherwise impact on human agency and autonomy. Many ethical issues arise in the development of AI systems, such as their use in medical devices, brain-computer interfaces, reasoning about human mental and emotion state, etc.
Detailed Call Description
Concerns are often raised that AI technologies may imply major societal disruptions such as massive job displacements due to the increasing use of AI-drive automation and robotics, while research show that AI can also help filling gaps in workforce.
The common principle across all of these EU initiatives are seven key requirements for trustworthy AI, as proposed by the HLEG-AI and adopted by the European Commission, as well as the importance of protecting the fundamental rights of individuals. Against this backdrop, before being faced with a ‘fait-accompli’ in terms of potentially undesirable influence of AI on the European society and economy and to make sure that all the beneficial potential of AI deployment is fully realised, we should anticipate and prepare for possible and high impact scenarios.
The proposal should cover all the following aspects:
- Decisive contributions to develop a sound European capacity building on the future and long term human and societal implications of AI, building, as appropriate, on previous work of the HLEG-AI, ADRA, and current development of the AI Act or other relevant European and national AI initiatives.
- A solid scientific approach, providing an in-depth analysis of successful existing deployment of AI and the impact they have on European economy and society. Such analysis should also significantly contribute to awareness raising of such deployments, providing a reality check of capabilities/benefits, but also limitations of current AI solutions, and how the latter are currently addressed.
- Scenario based analysis of future and long term potential benefits to citizens and societies, as well as an analysis of related challenges and threats.
- Based on this, proposals for development and deployment of AI, should ensure a broad support and appropriate involvement of other relevant AI initiatives, taking into account guiding ethics principles and the current development of the AI Act.
- Proposals need to take a multi-disciplinary and cross-sectorial approach, and engage with a wide set of stakeholders (see the eligible participation section).
- European policy actions should be proposed in a priority order, notably in the area of research and innovation but not excluding other important policy areas, that would serve to strengthen European preparedness and resilience in the face of future developments within AI and related emerging technologies as well as to guide the development and deployment of these technologies in a desirable direction.
Call Total Budget
Financing percentage by EU or other bodies / Level of Subsidy or Loan
100%
Expected EU contribution per project: between €2.00 and €3.00 million
Thematic Categories
- Culture
- Research, Technological Development and Innovation
Eligibility for Participation
- Central Government
- Large Enterprises
- NGOs
- Non Profit Organisations
- Other Beneficiaries
- Researchers/Research Centers/Institutions
- Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs)
- State-owned Enterprises
Eligibility For Participation Notes
Stakeholders: research organisations, enterprises, citizens, policymakers, public private partnerships in particular the AI, Data and Robotics Partnership, and other relevant EU projects and initiatives around AI.
Call Opening Date
Call Closing Date
National Contact Point(s)
Research and Innovation Foundation
29a Andrea Michalakopoulou, 1075 Nicosia,
P.B. 23422, 1683 Nicosia
Telephone: +357 22205000
Fax: +357 22205001
Email: support@research.org.cy
Website: https://www.research.org.cy/en/
Contact Persons:
Ms Katerina Karakasidou
Scientific Officer
Telephone: +357 22 205 036
Email: kkarakasidou@research.org.cy
Ms Constantina Makri
Scientific Officer
Telephone: +357 22 205 054
Email: cmakri@research.org.cy
EU Contact Point
Research Enquiry Service
https://research-and-innovation.ec.europa.eu/contact-us/research-enquiry-service_en