Summary Under the proposed Cloud and AI Development Act (CADA), Finland is required to establish Experience and Acceleration Centres for AI (Centres for AI) to drive the adoption of cloud and AI technologies across the country. As proposed in Article 5, these centres must build on existing European Digital Innovation Hubs (EDIHs) and serve as regional gateways for SMEs, small mid-caps (SMCs), and public sector bodies to access European cloud providers, upskilling schemes, and AI expertise. These centres are a mandatory component of Finland's national cloud and AI strategy under Article 7, forming a connected EU-wide network to ensure no region is left behind in the digital transition.

Detail

The proposed Cloud and AI Development Act (CADA) introduces a comprehensive framework to strengthen Europe's cloud and AI ecosystem, addressing the critical need for technological sovereignty and capacity building. A cornerstone of this framework is the establishment of Experience and Acceleration Centres for AI (referred to as "Centres for AI"). For Finland, as for every Member State, this represents a statutory obligation to decentralise AI adoption, ensuring that the benefits of the digital transition reach beyond capital cities to all regions.

Legal Basis and Establishment

Article 5(1) of the CADA proposal explicitly mandates that "Each Member State shall establish Experience and Acceleration Centres for AI". Crucially, the legislation does not require the creation of entirely new, standalone bureaucracies. Instead, the proposal requires these centres to "build on the European digital innovation hubs established under Article 16 of Regulation (EU) 2021/694 and, where applicable, any successor entities established under Union law".

This provision means Finland is expected to leverage its existing network of Digital Innovation Hubs (DIHs), transforming or expanding their mandates to specifically focus on AI and cloud acceleration. The Commission is empowered to adopt implementing acts to detail the procedures for establishing these centres, including selection criteria and participant organisation profiles. This ensures a consistent approach across the EU while allowing Finland to adapt the implementation to its specific national and regional context.

Objectives of the Centres for AI

The primary objectives of these centres, as outlined in Article 5(2), are designed to accelerate the uptake of AI and cloud technologies at the regional and local levels. These objectives are threefold:

  1. Support Integration and Scaling: Assist in the integration and scaling-up of AI use cases in strategic industrial and public sectors.
  2. Accelerate Broad Adoption: Accelerate the broad adoption of cloud and AI technologies at regional and local levels, notably for SMEs, small mid-caps (SMCs), and public sector bodies, in line with the 'AI first' principle.
  3. Leverage Infrastructure: Leverage relevant infrastructure to accelerate the development and fine-tuning of AI models and systems.

Specific Tasks and Services

For public-sector procurement officers, IT managers, and local authorities in Finland, the Centres for AI will serve as a critical resource for navigating the new regulatory landscape. Article 5(3) tasks these centres with several specific functions:

  • Connecting to European Providers: Helping organisations accelerate their digital transformation by connecting them with European providers of cloud and AI technologies. This directly supports CADA's broader goal of reducing dependency on non-EU hyperscalers and fostering a competitive European market.
  • Upskilling and Reskilling: Ensuring or providing access to relevant upskilling and reskilling schemes, particularly in close collaboration with the AI Skills Academy. This is crucial for public bodies that need to manage complex AI contracts but may lack internal technical expertise.
  • Expertise Transfer: Facilitating the transfer of expertise across regions, ensuring that less digitally mature areas can benefit from best practices and knowledge generated in more advanced regions.
  • Support for Start-ups: Supporting the scaling-up of spin-offs and start-ups emerging from universities and incubators by facilitating access to clients and organisations seeking specialised AI services.

The Network Effect

The Centres for AI are not isolated entities; they form a cohesive ecosystem. Article 5(6) states that "A network of Centres for AI shall be established to support collaboration and the exchange of best practices among Centres for AI". This network will provide specialised services across regions where the required skills or compute capacity are not available locally.

For a public body in a remote region of Finland, this means they can access expertise that may not be physically present in their municipality. The network bridges the digital divide between urban hubs and rural areas, ensuring that a municipality in Lapland has access to the same level of AI guidance as one in Helsinki. Article 5(7) further mandates that Member States and the Commission cooperate with existing networks established under other Union initiatives, including those in the field of semiconductors and data, to maximise synergies.

Link to National Strategy

The establishment of these centres is intrinsically linked to the national cloud and AI strategy required by Article 7 of CADA. Article 7(1) requires Member States to establish national cloud and AI strategies within one year of the Regulation's entry into force.

Specifically, Article 7(2)(b) mandates that these strategies include "measures to accelerate the development and adoption of cloud and AI at national, regional and local level... including by supporting the Centres for AI referred to in Article 5 as entry points to the European AI innovation ecosystem".

Therefore, Finland's national strategy will not only outline high-level goals but will also detail how these Centres for AI will be funded, governed, and integrated into the national procurement landscape. The strategy must ensure that the Centres are aligned with the 'AI first' principle and contribute to the digital targets set under the Digital Decade Policy Programme.

What this means for you

For public-sector procurement officers, IT managers, and business leaders in Finland, the Centres for AI represent a new, structured channel for support and compliance assistance under the proposed CADA.

1. A Go-To Resource for Procurement Support When procuring cloud services or AI systems, you are increasingly required to consider sovereignty and European added value (as per CADA Article 32). The Centres for AI can help you identify European cloud computing service providers that meet the Union assurance levels required for your specific use case. They can assist in navigating the technical requirements of the CADA sovereignty framework, ensuring your procurement documents are robust and compliant with the proposed rules.

2. Access to Training and Skills If your team lacks the expertise to evaluate complex AI bids or manage AI contracts, the Centres for AI will provide access to upskilling schemes. This is particularly relevant for smaller municipalities or agencies that cannot hire dedicated AI specialists. By collaborating with the AI Skills Academy, these centres will offer targeted training to help your staff understand AI capabilities, risks, and contractual nuances, ensuring that public bodies can effectively deploy AI solutions.

3. Facilitating Multi-Cloud Strategies CADA encourages multi-cloud strategies to reduce dependency on single vendors (Recital 65). The Centres for AI can provide technical guidance on how to design and implement multi-cloud architectures, helping you balance costs, security, and sovereignty requirements. They can act as a neutral advisor in selecting the right mix of European providers.

4. Connecting with Local Innovation If you are looking to pilot innovative AI solutions, the Centres for AI can connect you with local start-ups and spin-offs from Finnish universities. This aligns with the CADA objective of fostering a vibrant domestic AI ecosystem and allows public bodies to act as early adopters of cutting-edge, homegrown technology, potentially qualifying for innovation procurement incentives.

5. Regional Support for Local Challenges Whether you are in Helsinki or a smaller municipality, the network of Centres for AI ensures that expertise is accessible. If your local centre lacks specific expertise, the national network can facilitate access to specialists from other regions, ensuring no public body is left behind in the AI transition. This is vital for ensuring that the benefits of CADA are distributed evenly across Finland.

Common misconceptions

Misconception 1: The Centres for AI will only serve large corporations. Reality: Article 5(2)(b) explicitly states that the centres shall accelerate adoption "notably for SMEs, SMCs and public sector bodies". Their primary role is to democratise access to AI, ensuring that smaller organisations and public entities can compete and innovate, rather than focusing solely on large enterprises.

Misconception 2: These are entirely new, separate entities. Reality: The proposal requires centres to "build on the European digital innovation hubs". This means Finland will likely repurpose and expand existing DIHs, leveraging their current infrastructure, partnerships, and regional presence rather than creating a parallel bureaucracy from scratch.

Misconception 3: The Centres for AI will dictate which providers you must use. Reality: The centres "help organisations accelerate their digital transformation through access to and use of AI technologies, including by connecting organisations with European providers". They provide guidance, market intelligence, and connections, but the final procurement decision remains with the contracting authority, subject to CADA's procurement rules and the principle of non-discrimination.

Misconception 4: Only the central government is responsible for establishing these centres. Reality: While the Member State (Finland) is responsible for establishing the centres, their objectives include supporting adoption at "regional and local levels". This implies a collaborative effort involving regional authorities and local municipalities to ensure the centres are effectively utilised across the country, as reflected in the national strategy requirements of Article 7.

Official sources

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This is general information about a draft EU regulation, not legal advice.