An abruptly cancelled €45 million Horizon Europe call for generative AI projects has already been added to the newest draft Horizon Europe work programme for next year.
The postponed call, referenced as Horizon-CL4-2025-03-Digital-Emerging-09, was cancelled just a day before the submission deadline on October 2 due to legal concerns. Despite the cancellation, the European Commission has made some changes to the draft text for a replacement call in 2026.
The budget and scope of the new call remain largely the same, with around €15 million allocated for each of the three projects to be selected. These projects will continue to support generative AI innovation in key sectors such as aerospace, pharmaceuticals, and telecommunication networks.
Beneficiaries of the funding are expected to organize three-stage competitions, through which they will distribute a share of their €15 million budget to innovators across Europe. In the first stage, the beneficiaries will select 20 startups to participate.
Further details about subsequent stages and selection criteria are anticipated to be clarified as the work programme progresses. This initiative aims to foster cutting-edge generative AI developments and strengthen Europe’s position in these strategic industries.
https://sciencebusiness.net/news/r-d-funding/horizon-europe/european-commission-cancels-eu45m-horizon-europe-call-generative-ai