Greece Launches €150M AI Funding Program for Small Businesses
Greece's Development Ministry will distribute €150 million to help small and medium-sized businesses adopt artificial intelligence, Development Minister Takis Theodorikakos announced Friday. The program launches in September under the country's Development Law framework.
The funding covers employee training, consulting services, and equipment purchases needed to implement AI applications. The government targets smaller firms specifically, viewing them as needing extra support to keep pace with larger competitors adopting these technologies.
Theodorikakos said the priority is ensuring AI adoption increases productivity and competitiveness without widening economic or social gaps. "Artificial intelligence is bringing enormous changes to the way we work, communicate and produce," he said during a panel at the ruling New Democracy party's congress.
Current AI Adoption in Greece
One in three Greek businesses already use AI-related technologies, according to the minister. About half of the startups registered on Elevate Greece, the government's innovation platform, operate in AI-focused sectors.
Greece has developed a national AI strategy and sees the funding program as a way to broaden adoption beyond early adopters.
Gallium Production Investment
Theodorikakos also announced a separate €340 million investment in gallium production. Gallium compounds are critical raw materials used in semiconductor and microchip manufacturing-components essential to AI systems.
The planned Greek production capacity will reach 50 tons annually. The minister described the investment as strategically important for securing Greece's position in global AI supply chains.
Human Oversight Priority
The minister stressed that AI should remain "a technological tool in human hands" rather than dominate decision-making processes. Maintaining human oversight is a core principle guiding the government's approach to AI adoption.
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