Summary Under Article 5 of the proposed Cloud and AI Development Act (CADA), Italy would be required to establish a network of Experience and Acceleration Centres for AI ("Centres for AI"). These centres would not be created from scratch but would instead build upon the existing network of European Digital Innovation Hubs (EDIHs). Their primary mission would be to accelerate the adoption of cloud and AI technologies among SMEs, small mid-caps (SMCs), and public sector bodies across Italy. By acting as regional entry points to the European AI innovation ecosystem, these centres would connect Italian organisations with European cloud and AI providers, facilitate upskilling, and support the implementation of Italy's national cloud and AI strategy as required under Article 7.

Detail

The proposed Cloud and AI Development Act (CADA), COM(2026) 502 final, represents a significant shift in how the EU intends to support the deployment of artificial intelligence and cloud infrastructure. While much of the legislation focuses on sovereignty, data centres, and procurement rules, Title II establishes a robust support framework to ensure that businesses and public administrations can actually access and utilise these technologies. For Italy, this framework translates into a specific legal obligation to operationalise a network of support hubs.

The Legal Mandate: Article 5 and the Evolution of EDIHs

Article 5(1) of the proposal explicitly states: "Each Member State shall establish Experience and Acceleration Centres for AI ('Centres for AI')." Crucially, the regulation mandates that these new centres "shall build on the European digital innovation hubs established under Article 16 of Regulation (EU) 2021/694."

This provision is designed to prevent regulatory redundancy. Rather than forcing Italy to create a parallel administrative structure, CADA would require the repurposing and upgrading of the existing EDIH network. Italy already possesses a network of EDIHs that provide digital transformation support to SMEs. Under CADA, these entities would formally transition into "Centres for AI," retaining their physical presence and local expertise while expanding their mandates to specifically address AI and cloud sovereignty.

The proposal notes in Recital 25 that these centres need to act as "regional and local accelerators for the uptake and deployment of AI, cloud computing and other advanced technologies across the Union." They are intended to ensure appropriate coverage of Italian territory, bridging the gap between national strategies and local implementation.

Core Objectives: Who They Serve and What They Do

The scope of the Centres for AI is defined in Article 5(2) and Article 5(3). Their objectives are tailored to address the specific needs of smaller enterprises and public bodies that often lack the internal capacity to navigate complex AI ecosystems.

1. Target Beneficiaries The Centres are explicitly tasked with supporting SMEs, SMCs (small mid-caps), and public sector bodies. Article 5(2)(b) highlights the goal of accelerating adoption "notably for SMEs, SMCs and public sector bodies, in line with the 'AI first' principle." This focus ensures that the benefits of the EU's cloud and AI investment are not concentrated solely in large corporations or major metropolitan hubs.

2. Key Tasks and Functions According to Article 5(3), the Centres for AI would be tasked with four primary activities:

  • Connecting with European Providers: They must help organisations "accelerate their digital transformation through access to and use of AI technologies, including by connecting organisations with European providers of cloud and AI technologies" (Article 5(3)(a)). This is a direct mechanism to support CADA's broader goal of reducing dependency on non-EU providers.
  • Upskilling and Reskilling: The Centres would ensure or provide access to relevant training schemes, working "in close collaboration with the AI Skills Academy" (Article 5(3)(b)). This addresses the skills gap that often hinders AI adoption.
  • Cross-Regional Expertise Transfer: They would facilitate the transfer of expertise across regions, ensuring that knowledge is not siloed within specific Italian provinces (Article 5(3)(c)).
  • Supporting Innovation Ecosystems: The Centres would support the scaling-up of spin-offs and start-ups emerging from universities and incubators by "facilitating access to clients, companies and organisations seeking specialised AI services" (Article 5(3)(d)).

3. Leveraging Infrastructure Beyond soft support, Article 5(2)(c) mandates that the Centres "leverage relevant infrastructure to accelerate the development and fine-tuning of AI models and systems." This implies that the Centres would act as gateways to compute resources, potentially linking Italian researchers and businesses to the broader EU compute capacity, including the "AI factories" and "AI gigafactories" mentioned in the proposal's recitals.

The EU-Wide Network and Collaboration

The Centres for AI would not operate in isolation. Article 5(6) establishes 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 serves a critical function for Italy's regional diversity. Article 5(6) further specifies that the network will "provide specialised services across regions where the required skills or compute capacity are not available locally." For example, if a public body in a southern Italian region lacks local expertise in frontier AI, it could access specialised support through the network from a Centre in a more advanced region, ensuring a uniform level of capability across the Member State.

Integration with Italy's National Strategy

The establishment of these Centres is inextricably linked to Italy's broader national planning obligations under Article 7. Article 7(1) requires Member States to adopt national cloud and AI strategies within one year of the regulation's entry into force.

Article 7(2)(b) explicitly lists as a required component of these strategies: "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."

This creates a feedback loop:

  1. Italy must define its national strategy under Article 7.
  2. That strategy must detail how the Centres for AI (the upgraded EDIHs) will be funded, governed, and integrated into the national digital roadmap.
  3. The Centres then execute the strategy on the ground, acting as the primary interface for SMEs and public bodies.

Furthermore, Article 7(6) states that the European Artificial Intelligence Board (established by the AI Act) shall "advise and assist the Member States as regards the coordination of national strategies" and "facilitate exchange of best practices among Member States." This ensures that Italy's approach to its Centres remains aligned with the broader EU vision.

What this means for you

For Italian businesses, public administrators, and regional authorities, the proposed Centres for AI represent a pivotal resource for navigating the transition to a sovereign, AI-driven economy.

For Public Sector Bodies and Procurement Officers

If you work for an Italian public administration, the Centres for AI will become your primary "entry point" for digital transformation.

  • Navigating Sovereignty Rules: As CADA introduces complex Union assurance levels (Article 16) and risk assessment requirements (Article 29), the Centres will provide the technical guidance needed to understand which cloud services meet the "public order" criteria for your specific activities.
  • Access to European Providers: The Centres are mandated to connect you with European providers. This is vital for complying with Article 30, which may require public bodies to procure only services recognised at specific assurance levels. The Centres can help identify and validate these European alternatives.
  • Capacity Building: Through the collaboration with the AI Skills Academy, your team will gain access to upskilling schemes, ensuring you have the internal literacy to manage AI procurements and deployments effectively.

For SMEs and Small Mid-Caps (SMCs)

For Italian SMEs, the Centres offer a lifeline to resources that were previously out of reach.

  • Lowering Barriers to Entry: The Centres will help you access AI technologies and cloud infrastructure without needing massive upfront investment.
  • Finding Clients and Partners: If you are a start-up or a spin-off, the Centres will actively facilitate your access to clients seeking specialised AI services, helping you scale your operations.
  • Regional Support: Even if you are located in a region with limited local AI expertise, the networked nature of the Centres ensures you can access specialised support from elsewhere in Italy or the EU.

For Regional Authorities

Regional governments in Italy will play a key role in the governance of these Centres. Since the Centres build on existing EDIHs, regional authorities will likely be responsible for coordinating the local implementation of the national strategy, ensuring that the Centres are effectively integrated into regional innovation ecosystems and that they serve the specific needs of local industries.

Common misconceptions

"The Centres for AI are brand new, separate government agencies."

  • Reality: This is incorrect. Article 5(1) clearly states they "shall build on the European digital innovation hubs." They are an evolution of the existing EDIH network, not a new bureaucratic layer. The physical locations and much of the staff will likely remain the same, but their mandate will be refocused on AI and cloud sovereignty.

"Only large tech companies can benefit from these Centres."

  • Reality: The proposal explicitly prioritises SMEs, SMCs, and public sector bodies (Article 5(2)(b)). The Centres are designed specifically to help smaller organisations that lack the internal resources to navigate the complex AI landscape.

"The Centres will make procurement decisions for public bodies."

  • Reality: The Centres provide support, expertise, and connections, but they do not have decision-making authority. Public bodies remain responsible for their own procurement decisions, including conducting the required risk assessments under Article 29 and ensuring compliance with Article 30. The Centres are advisors, not decision-makers.

"The Centres are only for technical developers and data scientists."

  • Reality: While they support technical development, their scope is much broader. They assist with digital transformation strategy, upskilling, legal compliance regarding sovereignty, and connecting organisations with providers. They are a resource for procurement officers, legal teams, and IT managers, not just technical staff.

Official sources

Related

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