Accelerating the Digitization and Artificial Intelligence Adoption among European Corporations
Redesigned Article:
On April 9, the European Commission unveiled its AI-Centric Europe Agenda, an ambitious blueprint for the European Union to ascend as a global leader in artificial intelligence (AI). This strategy is geared towards bolstering economic growth, amplifying competition, and fortifying European sovereignty in the realm of AI. To achieve this objective, the plan has charted a course for various initiatives focused on the development of robust computing infrastructure, enhanced data access, widespread AI adoption across strategic sectors, nurturing AI skills, and helping users navigate regulatory complexities.
Central to this agenda is the network of European Digital Innovation Hubs, serving as a vital link between AI technology providers and users. By bridging this gap, these hubs have fostered collaboration, offering services such as training, networking, funding guidance, and pre-investment testing facilities since 2023. The Joint Research Centre (JRC) lends scientific and technical support to the project, developing tools for monitoring the progress of European digital adoption.
According to the latest JRC report, the Digital Innovation Hubs have achieved significant milestones. By September 2024, they organized over 5,000 events catering to more than 200,000 participants and delivered over 18,000 services. With a widespread presence covering 90% of European regions, these hubs have played a pivotal role in driving digital innovation.
Digital Maturity Makeover
To gauge and subsequently improve the digital maturity of organizations, the JRC developed the Digital Maturity Assessment Tool. Benefiting almost 9,000 small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and 800 public sector organizations, this tool has made a tangible impact. The JRC findings reveal that European Digital Innovation Hubs have helped more than 90% of users improve their digital maturity. Areas demonstrating the most significant improvements include AI adoption and automation, accounting for a performance increase of 35%.
DMAT Score Development Before and After EDIH Services
The newly released JRC report presents an in-depth analysis of the network's strengths, weaknesses, geographical coverage, and overall impact on digital maturity enrichment. It proposes recommendations for enhancing the management of the network, along with a focus on the characteristics of the Digital Innovation Hubs' customers, including their sector, size, and skill level. This information will help pinpoint areas of high demand for digital transformation services and assess the current support's effectiveness.
Towards a Future with AI Experience Centres
As of December 2025, European Digital Innovation Hubs will undergo a transformation, evolving into AI Experience Centres. The main focus of these centres will be supporting businesses by offering sector-specific AI solutions in collaboration with testing and experimentation facilities and AI Factories. This transition aims to provide businesses with large-scale testing environments and computational resources as part of the AI-Centric Europe Agenda.
To boost AI adoption across sectors, the European Digital Innovation Hubs will offer training for small businesses and startups, facilitating AI literacy and promoting continuous learning among workers.
Related links:
Digital innovation: [Link]
European Digital Innovation Hubs Network: [Link]
Enrichment Insights:
The latest JRC report on the European Digital Innovation Hubs (EDIH) Network advocates for the development of a Charter of Access for Industrial Users, Startups, and Scaleups to research and technology infrastructure, aiming to simplify and harmonize access conditions across Europe. The report also proposes the creation of a single digital entry point for European innovators, investors, and service providers to access essential funding programs, infrastructure, and services more efficiently. The recommendations point towards a more integrated, accessible, and investment-friendly EDIH network, supported by legislative action, financial backing, and strategic foresight to promote innovation across Europe effectively. [1]
[1] Information derived from the latest European Commission and JRC-associated initiatives and strategies around innovation hubs, digital infrastructure access, and scaling technologies as detailed in the May 2025 documents. [1]
- The European Digital Innovation Hubs (EDIH) Network, which has transformed into AI Experience Centres as of December 2025, is intent on supporting businesses by offering sector-specific AI solutions, collaborating with testing and experimentation facilities, and AI Factories.
- To help boost AI adoption across sectors, these AI Experience Centres will provide training for small businesses and startups, thereby fostering AI literacy and inspiring continuous learning among workers.
- Within the framework of the AI-Centric Europe Agenda, a proposed Charter of Access for Industrial Users, Startups, and Scaleups to research and technology infrastructure aims to streamline and harmonize access conditions across Europe.
- A single digital entry point for European innovators, investors, and service providers is recommended to help them access essential funding programs, infrastructure, and services more efficiently, as detailed in the latest JRC report on the EDIH Network.
