Im EESC-Info 1/2026 repliziert EESC-Mitglied Baurat h.c. DI Rudolf Kolbe auf seine Stellungnahme „Appling AI“:
With the AI Act, Europe has established an important framework. Now it needs to put it into practice!
Are we going to be able to deploy AI across the board – in businesses, in public administrations and in strategic sectors – and still remain human-centric, trustworthy and competitive? That’s what the European Commission’s Apply AI Strategy is all about: it shifts the focus from regulation to application, so as to increase productivity, improve public services and make us more resilient.
There are three central elements to this.
Firstly, the sectoral flagships: targeted measures for healthcare, industry and construction, robotics, energy, mobility, security, agri-food, culture and the public sector could create real demand for European solutions.
In the health sector, AI-powered screening centres and competence networks can enable earlier diagnoses and reduce paperwork – but only if data protection, transparency and clinical validation are taken into account from the outset. In industry and construction, digital twins and AI-enabled automation can improve quality, safety and efficiency, while at the same time addressing skills shortages. Across all sectors, fairness, non-discrimination and fundamental rights must remain guiding principles.
Secondly, cross-cutting measures for SMEs and for people working with AI.
AI use in Europe is still too low, especially among small businesses. It is therefore a good idea to strengthen the European Digital Innovation Hubs and turn them into ‘Experience Centres for AI’. However, SMEs need actual tangible support: easier access to finance, less red tape, workable rules for data use and intellectual property, and hands-on support to commercialise solutions and scale them in the single market. This includes building regional clusters of skills, based on existing strengths, so that every region can benefit – not just those that are already the strongest innovation hubs.
The world of work is just as crucial. AI literacy needs to be clearly defined and taught in practice in a sector-specific way for workers, managers and the public service. The aim of upskilling and reskilling is not just to reduce risks, but also to enable job transformation, improve job quality and increase productivity gains. Where algorithmic management and automated decision-making affect human beings, transparency, explainability and effective complaint and redress mechanisms are non-negotiable if we are to build trust.
Thirdly, governance that is inclusive and implementation-oriented.
A coordinated mechanism – with an AI observatory that develops KPIs, monitors impacts and reports publicly – can keep the strategy on track if stakeholder engagement is balanced and time-efficient. Social partners, SMEs and civil society must be part of the solution from the outset. Additionally, Europe should use strategic public procurement to bring innovative, safe and sustainable AI solutions to the market – solutions that are transparent, competitive and technology-neutral.
Finally, ambition requires reliable investment. ‘Apply AI’ needs predictable, long-term resources for research, computing and data infrastructure, and upskilling and reskilling – particularly for SMEs and regional innovation clusters – in the 2028–2034 multiannual financial framework. Following the withdrawal of the AI Liability Directive, future measures also need to create legal certainty for innovators while at the same time protecting consumers and workers in the single market.
‘Apply AI’ could become Europe’s implementation strategy, translating our values and rules into measurable impact – but only if we pick up the pace, simplify access and make trust our central concern.
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