RAISE: Europe's virtual institute to speed up AI in science
Europe has launched RAISE - the Resource for Artificial Intelligence Science in Europe - at the European AI in Science Summit in Copenhagen. Built as a virtual institute, RAISE focuses on applying AI to high-impact research problems: better cancer therapies, more precise earthquake prediction, and data-driven environmental solutions.
Henna Virkkunen, Executive Vice-President for Tech Sovereignty, Security and Democracy, said: "In Europe, we are strongest when we join forces to pursue a common goal. This spirit of collaboration lies at the heart of the RAISE initiative, where leading scientists from across Europe bring together diverse disciplines and perspectives to conduct excellent research on and with AI."
What RAISE is
RAISE is a central pillar of the European Strategy for Artificial Intelligence in Science and the Apply AI Strategy. It brings together compute capacity, data, funding, and talent to advance AI methods and their application across disciplines. The pilot is funded with €107m through Horizon Europe, signaling the Commission's intent to place science and technology at the core of Europe's competitiveness.
Compute, data, and the research stack
As a virtual institute, RAISE will give researchers priority access to AI "Gigafactories" and high-performance computing via the European High Performance Computing Joint Undertaking. It will also help identify data gaps, curate critical datasets, and integrate them for reliable AI training and evaluation. Expect stronger infrastructure for benchmarks, reproducibility, and cross-border data use.
Learn more about EuroHPC resources here: European High Performance Computing Joint Undertaking. For funding mechanics, see Horizon Europe: programme overview.
Talent and research excellence
€75m in the pilot is dedicated to Networks of Excellence and Doctoral Networks to train and retain AI and domain experts. The Commission also plans to double annual AI investments under Horizon Europe to over €3bn, with a larger share directed to AI in science. This investment targets both foundational AI methods and their credible use in labs and facilities across Europe.
Coordination across Member States
The first pilot step is a €3m Coordination and Support Action, "Facilitated Cooperation for AI in Science," to connect the European AI-in-science community and set up the institute's backbone. A new European Research Area action will coordinate national efforts to speed up AI adoption in research and science across Member States.
Phased growth and long-term footing
RAISE will grow in phases. After the pilot, the Commission will work with Member States, research centers, universities, and industry to scale the institute under the next EU budget (2028-2034). Governance, pooled resources, and sustainability are built in so the institute can keep pace with scientific and technical progress.
Why it matters for research teams
Ekaterina Zaharieva, Commissioner for Startups, Research and Innovation, noted that RAISE will develop advanced AI models, apply them across disciplines from life sciences to the humanities, and strengthen Europe's competitiveness - a clear signal to Choose Europe for AI-driven research.
What to do next
- Scan upcoming Horizon Europe calls linked to RAISE; consider leading or joining Networks of Excellence and Doctoral Networks.
- Map your compute needs to EuroHPC offerings; prepare workflows that can scale on HPC and AI "Gigafactories."
- Audit your datasets for gaps and bias; adopt clear governance, documentation, and shared benchmarks to improve reproducibility.
- Form interdisciplinary teams (domain science, ML, data engineering); plan for code sharing, evaluations, and rigorous validation.
- Engage your national contact points and institutional grants office early; track the 2028-2034 expansion to position your consortium.
The takeaway
RAISE puts shared compute, data, and funding within closer reach of European labs. If you're building AI for scientific discovery - or applying it to your field - this is the moment to align your roadmap with RAISE's calls, infrastructure, and training opportunities.
If your team needs structured upskilling to meet these opportunities, explore AI courses by job role: Complete AI Training.
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