The global ravages of the new crown virus in 2020 will surely become the eternal memory of all mankind. But at the same time, 2020 will also be remembered in history as a turning point in digital development, demonstrating the importance of social innovation and people-oriented governance to the world. In 2020, the adoption rate of AI technology in various industries is unprecedentedly high, and it has become the most concerned development direction for technology entrepreneurs, enterprises and governments. These fast-moving development steps will surely continue until 2021, thus spawning the first year of AI-driven social innovation.
Not only that, more forward-looking EU countries (especially Denmark, Slovenia and Estonia) will also uphold the EU's long-term development concept of improving people's livelihood and enhancing social solutions, and make explorations based on their own actual conditions. I believe that under the impact of various challenges in the past year, coupled with the joint efforts of the public and private sectors, EU countries will reach a consensus on AI innovation to build a better future, and eventually become the global social innovation and digital government field. Pioneer.
At present, the European Union has launched a series of forward-looking plans and fund projects for social innovation and technological development, including the Horizon Europe plan, InvestEU, the European Union Employment and Social Innovation Plan (EaSI), and the European Social Fund (ESF), etc. . One of the most impressive results is the European Horizon Project, which is planned to be fully implemented from 2021 to 2027. The European Commission has allocated a proposed budget of 100 billion euros for the project, aimed at promoting research and innovation activities throughout the European Union. According to the European Commission’s documents, “Europe will continue to shape its own future through research and innovation, and focus on ecological, social and economic transformation, and the social challenges that it brings.
Relying on Europe’s strong scientific strength, the EU will play a leading role in the field of disruptive and breakthrough innovation, and set ambitious development goals for marine protection projects such as skill training, cancer treatment, hazardous emissions treatment, and plastic degradation. , A series of cutting-edge projects from innovation to deployment. "In addition, according to the previous Horizon 2020 plan, the European Commission has set out to increase the annual AI investment quota by 70%. Together with the current European Horizon Plan, the European Union will be transformed into an AI power complex with a comprehensive social innovation spirit.
In addition to the European Horizon Project, InvestEU is also an ambitious project dedicated to pushing EU countries to the forefront of AI social innovation. According to the European Entrepreneurship Philanthropy Association (EVPA), “The European Commission will provide 38 billion euros of EU guarantee funds through investment in EU funds, and clearly define the four major policy areas supported by InvestEU: sustainable infrastructure (115 Billion euros); research, innovation and digitalization (11.25 billion euros); SMEs (11.25 billion euros); and social investment and skills (4 billion euros)."
Obviously, the EU has made great strides in social innovation with AI as its core driving force. As typical representatives among them, Denmark, Slovenia and Estonia have become very influential core participants in the ecosystem. The Danish government pays particular attention to the application of AI technology, hoping to improve social welfare.
According to the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, "By 2025, we hope to set a benchmark for responsible and ethical AI applications worldwide-we will always put the privacy, security, and transparency in AI applications into consideration. In the first place." In addition, the Danish government has set a total budget of 200 million euros specifically to promote the development of AI and digital projects, hoping to enhance the development of social public transport based on AI. In addition, various programs represented by RESEARCH2025, the International Arctic Center, and the Danish Innovation Fund (IFD) have also paid attention to environmental resilience and economic sustainability. With these measures, Denmark has set ambitious development goals, that is, to reduce the country's total greenhouse gas emissions by 70% by 2030, and fully achieve the goal of zero fossil fuel use by 2050. In addition, Denmark also has a strong hub formed by many independent organizations such as Sustainia, hoping to help people increase their awareness of sustainable AI and digital development, and provide a good group foundation for social innovation goals. According to Tracxn's report, there are at least 127 AI start-ups in Denmark.
In addition to Denmark, Slovenia is also an important influencer in the field of EU social innovation. First, Slovenia has a long history of technology-driven social innovation. Since the establishment of Joseph Stefan College in 1949, Slovenia has always prioritized investment in scientific and technological research and development, and this fine tradition has been preserved to this day. Slovenia has now established the first International Research Center for Artificial Intelligence (IRCAI) supported by UNESCO in Europe. This is also a historic step in the country to promote the development of human-oriented AI. Among the many projects that the country has focused on, including the "digital twin" monitoring system, Europe's first blockchain test infrastructure, and the responsible AI development initiative formulated by the Global Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Program (GPAI), all have left others behind deep impression.
Finally, as the world's only digital republic plus an "electronic nation", Estonia has put forward a completely different perspective on the needs of digital citizens on the grand issue of building a people-oriented society. In E-Estonia, a national policy-level plan led by the government, it is planning to use artificial intelligence and other advanced technologies to bring the country into a fully digital era. In the future, projects such as e-government, e-taxation, e-voting, e-health, and e-residence management will reshape the social lifestyle in Estonia in a fully digital form. After the implementation of the project, up to 99% of the online delivery of government services will bring an unmatched level of digital transformation. From this perspective, Estonia's AI-driven social innovation initiatives are no longer deliberate, but more of a logical result.
All in all, thanks to the help of many EU programs and special social innovation funds, and the outstanding contributions made by Denmark, Slovenia and Estonia in this field, we look forward to seeing the EU achieve brighter development prospects in the field of AI-driven social innovation . Now is an excellent time to establish a social innovation AI venture capital fund in the European Union. With the selection, funding, support and expansion of more start-ups and related solutions within the EU, we are expected to find a truly people-oriented social innovation path forward for the world.