For a Human-Centered AI

Artificial Intelligence: the European AI MATTERS project kicks off with 60 million euros and incentives up to 100% for companies

January 31, 2025

Artificial Intelligence makes the difference: presentation and launch of the European project "AI Matters", for tomorrow's manufacturing.

Artificial Intelligence is transforming the world of industry, but the transition from innovation to its concrete application requires specific tools and skills. To support companies in this transition comes AI MATTERS, the project launched by the European Union of which MADE Competence Center Industria 4.0 is the coordinator of the Italian node that sees the participation of Fondazione Bruno Kessler and Concept Reply.  The goal is to support companies to develop and test AI-based solutions for the manufacturing sector. At the European level, the project involves 24 partners in 8 countries and provides for a total funding of 60 million euros.

Co-funded in Italy by the European Union and the Ministry of Enterprise and Made in Italy, the initiative aims to create a favorable ecosystem for the adoption of AI technologies in industrial production. In fact, companies benefiting from the project will be able to access Testing & Experimentation Facilities (TEFs), spaces and services dedicated to the experimentation, validation and optimization of innovative solutions, with the aim of accelerating the market entry of these frontier technologies, while mitigating their implementation costs for companies.

The AI MATTERS funding plan provides relief covering up to 100 percent of costs for micro and small enterprises, up to 90 percent for medium-sized enterprises, and up to 65 percent for large companies. The scope extends to projects for developing and testing AI solutions for production optimization, predictive maintenance, human-robot collaboration, advanced quality control and the creation of Digital Twins.

During the project presentation conference, held this morning at MADE Competence Center’s digital “factory” located on 10 Via Durando in Milan, the project’s industrial partners spoke along with, among other institutional guests, Vittorio Calaprice, European Commission Representative in Italy, and Alessandro Fermi, Lombardy Region’s Councillor for University, Research and Innovation.

Marco Taisch, President of MADE Competence Center, stressed the importance of this initiative for European industry: “AI MATTERS offers companies a concrete opportunity to experiment with and integrate Artificial Intelligence into production processes. Our goal is to support companies in moving from the research phase to real technological application, helping to make Europe a reference point in the field.”

Alessandro Cimatti, Director of FBK’s Center for Digital Industry, introduced the possible impact and interest of the research world for AI MATTERS: “initiatives such as TEFs give a real opportunity to the research world to exchange views and work with the market. For our Center, it becomes an important application moment for our founding principle ‘solving problems with science’ in the field of Artificial Intelligence.”

Fabrizio Mancini, Partner at Concept Reply, highlighted the value that experimentation in the field of Artificial Intelligence can bring: “creating opportunities for experimentation is key to help companies understand the real value that AI can bring to processes and applications, including in the manufacturing sector. Thanks to the experience in validating new technology solutions gained in our laboratories, we will be able to accompany companies every step of the way, from conception to validation of the solutions developed, facilitating an informed and targeted adoption of AI.”

 

 


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