As the EU Digital Summit opens today in Gdańsk under the auspices of the Polish EU Presidency, the AI Chamber unveiled the CEE AI Action Plan – a landmark initiative aimed at transforming Central and Eastern Europe into a globally competitive hub for artificial intelligence innovation.
Backed by compelling economic data and crafted over months of regional consultation, the CEE AI Action Plan arrives at a critical moment: with over 150 million citizens and a combined GDP of €2.5 trillion, CEE is at a tipping point – one where the adoption or neglect of AI in the next 24 months could define the region’s economic trajectory for decades.
High stakes for an undervalued region
The CEE AI adoption rate remains far below Western Europe. By 2024, only 4–6% of CEE firms had adopted AI – compared to the EU’s average of 13.5%, well below the EU’s target of 75% by 2030. SMEs are even further behind, with most still at the experimentation stage.
The region holds 22% of the EU’s population but only 11% of its GDP. Yet, unlocking AI could boost CEE’s GDP by up to €100 billion annually (5%), equivalent to adding an economy the size of Croatia every year. In a more ambitious scenario, the gain could reach €135 billion, or 8% of GDP. But the window is rapidly closing and without fast, coordinated action, the upside could shrink to a mere €15 billion a year.
CEE’s core strengths – a strong track record of creating cutting-edge technologies, world-class STEM education, deep technical talent, and a growing startup ecosystem – offer a unique opportunity. AI, the Chamber argues, could serve as a “force multiplier” to empower SMEs, scale globally competitive startups, attract investment, and ultimately raise living standards across the region.
A five-pillar roadmap for regional transformation
The CEE AI Action Plan lays out a concrete, region-specific roadmap of tailored, actionable recommendations to boost productivity, scale breakthrough innovation, and drive competitiveness for the region.Framed around coordinated action that leverages the unique regional strengths and fosters cooperation rather than fragmented national efforts, the strategy calls for alignment across governments, businesses, academia, and civil society to turn CEE into an AI powerhouse.
The Plan offers a strategy to foster innovation and productivity across five critical areas: infrastructure, data, talent, regulation, and innovation. The focus is on SMEs, which make up 99% of all businesses and contribute around half of CEE GDP.
“This is a roadmap to transformation – but it’s not one-size-fits-all. We will work together with local authorities, ministries, and partner organizations in every CEE country to adapt and implement this plan where it matters most.” says Tomasz Snażyk, CEO of the AI Chamber.
Building capacity and removing friction
The Plan envisions a regionally integrated high-performance computing network linking existing national supercomputers to provide startups, SMEs, and researchers with the computing power needed to build advanced AI solutions or launch of testbed facilities in sectors like healthcare and autonomous vehicles.
In terms of data, the Plan outlines the creation of a CEE Open Data Knowledge Network for public institutions to share best practices and make national Open Data Portals more accessible to developers and researchers. By introducing common governance standards and launching cross-border data trusts in sectors like healthcare and manufacturing, stakeholders would be able to securely pool data – laying the groundwork for more powerful and reliable AI model training.
When it comes to talent, the Plan outlines targeted financial incentives, such as 1,000 fully funded AI fellowships, new academic programs, and a Brain Circulation program to both retain talent at home and attract top professionals from abroad.
On regulation, the Plan advocates the creation of a CEE AI Policy Council to give the region greater influence in Brussels, ensuring that EU-wide rules reflect the region’s needs – such as protecting SMEs from disproportionate burdens. It also calls for regional regulatory sandboxes where startups could test AI systems safely, without drowning in legal complexity.
Mobilizing capital for AI-driven growth
In 2024, CEE startups raised just €2.3 billion in venture funding – a fraction of Western Europe’s total. With less than 10% of EU AI investment reaching CEE, AI Chamber’s strategy proposes a network of AI innovation hubs near top universities, challenge-driven National AI R&D funding, and region-wide technology transfer programs. These would help transform promising ideas – especially in traditional sectors like manufacturing and agriculture – into real products and growth companies.
“The CEE region doesn’t have the luxury of waiting. The next 12 to 24 months are pivotal,” comments Snażyk. “If we empower SMEs with the right tools, data, and capital, they won’t just compete – they will lead.”
Changing the narrative: from outsourcing to leadership
The Plan is also about repositioning CEE globally. It proposes a CEE AI Champions portfolio featuring companies like UiPath, Rossum, and Infermedica, and a regional branding campaign to shift the perception of CEE from outsourcing center to AI innovation hub.
“CEE doesn’t need to copy Silicon Valley to succeed – it needs to amplify its own strengths,” emphasizes Snażyk. “With strong local ecosystems and affordable talent, we can build startups that scale from Prague, Sofia, or Vilnius – not just from London or San Francisco.”
A European challenge – and a regional answer
The urgency is both regional and continental. AI is emerging as a crucial lever to offset demographic decline, counter rising labor costs, and sustain global competitiveness. The persistent digital divide with the West continues to limit AI’s potential in critical sectors including manufacturing, healthcare, and public administration.
“CEE has a key advantage: there is far less legacy thinking and resistance to change than in many other places – giving us a real chance to leapfrog ahead. But seizing this opportunity will require strong public-private partnerships and profound changes in education and other key areas, as AI affects everyone and everything. We’ll also need stronger regional coordination – something this Action Plan calls for.” – says Mark Boris Andrijanič, member of the EIT Governing Board, Vice President of International Markets at Kumo.AI and former Minister of Digital Transformation for Slovenia.
Message to Brussels: CEE is ready to lead
Crafted in close alignment with the EU’s digital agenda and launched during Poland’s EU Council Presidency, the Plan signals that the region is no longer content to follow – it is ready to help lead Europe’s AI future.
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