After a regulation period marked by the AI Act, the European Commission is now focusing on applying and scaling up AI in key domains such as science, industry and government. The Competitiveness Compass, RAISE, and the Apply AI Strategy are all pushing in the same direction: promoting AI uptake across eleven sectors, in the name of competitiveness and AI sovereignty.
The Apply AI Strategy has the potential to be the right initiative at the right time. It adopts an ecosystem approach, connecting use cases with their infrastructure, data and skills needs, and fostering effective governance and collaboration across value chains. But it comes with a heavy implementation burden, no dedicated budget, and hard questions that remain unanswered, about infrastructure, data sharing, sector-specific use cases, and the coherence of the broader EU policy agenda.
The CEPS Task Force on the Apply AI Strategy is designed to provide the structured analysis and stakeholder engagement the Strategy requires to move from paper to practice. It brings together senior executives, policy-makers, technologists, and researchers across three sector tracks, Healthcare & Pharma, Automotive & Mobility, and Government & Public Sector. Each of the tracks will apply a consistent analytical structure across five issue areas: key use cases, infrastructure requirements, data governance, flagship applications, and sovereignty and implementation roadmaps. All three tracks engage with the shared EU policy environment, including the AI Act, the Data Strategy and Data Act, the Cloud & AI Development Act, and the AI Factories and Gigafactories initiative.
Methodology and timeline
The Task Force runs from June 2026 to February 2027, structured around nine sector-specific working sessions running June through December, followed by a drafting and member review phase, and a Final Report launch in February 2027. An information session open to all prospective participants will be held in late April 2026. All sessions are hybrid, with physical attendance strongly encouraged. Chatham House Rules apply throughout.
Deliverables include a Final Report with cross-sectoral analysis and recommendations, three sector policy briefs (Healthcare, Automotive, Government), and an established stakeholder network connecting EDIHs, industry, and policymakers.
Governance and integrity
The Task Force is organised by CEPS and operates under CEPS integrity standards. Member contributions are invited and welcomed but do not determine its conclusions.
Becoming a member
For more information, please refer to the general prospectus. To express your interest, complete the registration form available in the download section and email it to Katja Spanz ([email protected]) or Laura Nicolas ([email protected]) by 31 May 2026. For sponsorship enquiries, please contact Andrea Renda ([email protected]) directly.
