13. Introduction to Netherlands AI computing power development strategy _ "8. Regional development of AI"

The Netherlands has consistently focused on enhancing public-private partnerships, research and development, and startup culture through its national AI strategy action plan. The country's AI strategy is based on three key pillars:

• Enhancing Social and Economic Potential: Implementing policies that encourage the private and public sectors to adopt, utilize, and advance AI, while promoting AI applications to address broader societal challenges.

• Establishing a Foundation for Education and Skill Development: Implementing policies that support the education and skill development needed for AI, promoting research and innovation in the field, facilitating access to high-quality data, and strengthening digital infrastructure.

• Creating Comprehensive and Forward-looking Policies: Implementing policy measures that address ethical considerations, such as fostering trust, upholding human rights, ensuring consumer protection, and safeguarding citizen safety.

Key Participants

The Netherlands is gradually establishing itself as a hub for AI innovation, attracting global talent and capital. Government support, academic research, and a vibrant startup ecosystem collectively drive the growth of AI in the country. In 2019, the Netherlands launched its AI Strategy Action Plan, which outlined an annual budget of €45 million for AI innovation and research. This budget increased to €64 million in 2019, with an additional €23.5 million allocated in 2020 specifically for the Netherlands AI Coalition (NL AIC) public-private partnership.

The Netherlands has established several public-private partnership initiatives, including Commit2Data and VWData, which facilitate collaboration between government agencies, businesses, educational institutions, and civil society organizations to accelerate AI development. In 2022, the NL AIC launched the AiNed program, which, supported by the National Growth Fund of the Netherlands, provided €2.045 million in funding over four years.

The Netherlands also supports AI through the Knowledge and Innovation Covenant (KIC) funding, a three-year grant program organized by the Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research (NWO), aimed at fostering public-private partnerships in key areas such as energy transition, technology, aging, sustainability, agriculture, water, food, healthcare, and safety. Another similar initiative is ROBUST, launched by the AI Innovation Center (ICAI) in 2023, with a budget exceeding €25 million, aimed at strengthening the Netherlands' AI ecosystem by advancing fundamental AI research to address societal challenges in healthcare, logistics, media, food, and energy.

This government funding and research support has expanded the Netherlands' startup ecosystem, providing greater visibility for AI-focused startups like Scyfer (acquired by Qualcomm in 2017).