Flemish AI Policy Plan
VAIA (the Flanders AI Academy) has a twofold mission: on the one hand, we accelerate the adoption of AI in Flemish companies and organisations by gathering and redistributing a broad and relevant range of AI training courses for professionals in Flanders. On the other hand we help organisations training organisations to tailor and expand their courses to meet current and future AI needs.
VAIA is one of the building blocks of the Flemish AI policy plan.
Flemish AI Policy Plan
Artificial intelligence (AI) has made a tremendous leap forward in
recent years. The influence of AI will be felt in all sectors and
sections of society in the coming years. Building on the AI Policy Plan,
Flanders is preparing its society for this evolution.
Through a
leadership strategy where development and implementation of AI are
concerned, Flanders aims to reap the full economic and social benefits.
The
Flemish government approved the Artificial Intelligence Policy Plan on
22 March 2019 to support this ambition. It provides an annual investment
of EUR 32 million and consists of 3 parts that complement and reinforce
each other.
Part 1. Strenghten Basic Strategic Research
This part of the AI Policy Agenda enforces the top strategic research on AI in Flanders even more. It combines research groups of the Flemish universities and research centers among whom the four strategic research centra. The companies, government institutions and non profit organisations are the users in Flanders. Synergies with them and thorough knowledge and technology diffusion towards them take a central position.
The AI Research Programme will research and develop generic AI methodologies, applicable for countless applications in healthcare, industry and government. The programme addresses four major AI research challenges, modelled from user requests. The results of the research will be illustrated with conceptual demonstrators.
The purpose of these demonstrators is twofold:
- Inspire users and researchers
- Direct research towards longer term needs
The Flemish research institutions and universities receive 12 million euros per year for AI research. With their state-of-the-art research and leading demonstrators, they belong to the world top in AI. They contribute to Flanders playing a pioneering role in the data-driven fourth industrial revolution that is guiding industry, service sectors, healthcare and government into the future. More information can be found at AI Research Flanders.
Part 2. Stimulate the use of AI in companies
A very important objective of the policy plan is that companies and other actors make the widest possible use of artificial intelligence. To support AI adoption by companies, the policy plan provides 17 million euros annually for the implementation part led by the Agency for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (VLAIO).
VLAIO and the partners from the VLAIO Network aim to raise awareness, inform and advise companies about the possibilities of artificial intelligence in as many applications as possible. In addition, they also support companies during their first experiences with this new technology.
For these companies, for companies that evolved already further in their AI trajectory and for technology providers VLAIO deploys its existing subsidy instruments such as SME growth subsidies, research and development projects and Baekeland mandates. Be informed and inspired about these implementations at digitaletoekomst.be (nl).
Part 3. Awareness creation, training and ethical framework
The way we learn and work is increasingly influenced by artificial intelligence. It is therefore key, in addition to specialized AI training, to set up trainings and initiatives that inject a basic knowledge of AI into the broad base of the population.
Also, in addition to the many opportunities, there are risks associated with AI. To tackle these challenges, the policy plan provides an annual amount of 5 million euros for awareness-raising, training and a legal and ethical framework on artificial intelligence.
Within the accompanying policy, there are two important initiatives supported by the AI policy agenda:
Knowledge Centre Data & Society
The Knowledge Centre Data & Society provides policy makers, companies and the general public with applicable guidelines and advice on legal, ethical and social aspects of artificial intelligence and data applications.
