Sept. 19, 2023 — The European Union (EU) is set to provide startups with expanded access to its high performance computing (HPC) supercomputers for AI model training, with a stipulation: they must align with the EU’s AI governance program. As reported by TechCrunch, this move builds upon a provisional set of AI rules introduced by the EU in May.

The EU is also in the process of finalizing the AI Act, a regulatory framework for AI applications, and is collaboratively working towards an international AI Code of Conduct.

In her annual ‘State of the Union’ address, EU president Ursula von der Leyen announced this initiative, emphasizing the union’s position in the global supercomputing landscape. She also underscored the rapid advancement and potential existential threats of AI, suggesting the establishment of a global panel on AI, akin to the IPCC for climate.

Currently, the EU is home to three of the world’s five most powerful supercomputers: Lumi a pre-exascale HPC supercomputer in Finland; MareNostrum 5, a pre-exascale supercomputer in Spain; and Leonardo, a pre-exascale supercomputer located in Italy. The aim is to leverage these resources to encourage innovation that resonates with European values. Moreover, in a bid to ensure broad-based stakeholder involvement in AI governance, the EU will reconvene the European AI Alliance in November, possibly as a counterpoint to the U.K. government’s upcoming AI Summit.

Click here to read the in-depth reporting from TechCrunch.