Summary As proposed in the Cloud and AI Development Act (CADA), Slovakia, like all EU Member States, would be required to establish "Experience and Acceleration Centres for AI" (Centres for AI). These centres would not be created from scratch but would build upon the existing network of European Digital Innovation Hubs (EDIHs). Their primary role would be to act as regional accelerators, helping SMEs, small mid-caps (SMCs), and public sector bodies adopt cloud and AI technologies. Crucially, they would connect local organisations with European providers of cloud and AI, facilitate upskilling via the AI Skills Academy, and serve as the operational "entry points" for implementing Slovakia's National Cloud and AI Strategy under Article 7.

Detail

The proposed Cloud and AI Development Act (CADA), COM(2026) 502 final, introduces a comprehensive framework to strengthen Europe's cloud and AI ecosystem. A central pillar of this framework is the establishment of Experience and Acceleration Centres for AI (referred to throughout the text as "Centres for AI"). Under Article 5 of the proposal, every Member State, including Slovakia, would be legally obligated to establish these centres.

What are the Experience and Acceleration Centres for AI?

According to Article 5(1), each Member State must establish Experience and Acceleration Centres for AI. The proposal explicitly clarifies that these are not entirely new, standalone bureaucratic entities to be built from the ground up. Instead, they are designed to build on the European digital innovation hubs established under Article 16 of Regulation (EU) 2021/694.

For Slovakia, this means the existing network of EDIHs would be repurposed and expanded to take on specific AI-focused mandates. This approach leverages existing infrastructure and expertise, ensuring a faster rollout and avoiding duplication of efforts. The centres would serve as the primary interface between the national AI strategy and the local market.

Core Objectives and Mandate

The primary goals of these Centres for AI are defined in Article 5(2). They are designed to:

  1. Support Integration and Scaling: Assist strategic industrial and public sectors in integrating and scaling up AI use cases.
  2. Accelerate Broad Adoption: Speed up the adoption of cloud and AI technologies at regional and local levels. The text specifically targets SMEs (Small and Medium-sized Enterprises), SMCs (Small Mid-cap enterprises), and public sector bodies. This aligns with the "AI first" principle, urging organisations to reflect on their business processes and consider AI opportunities.
  3. Leverage Infrastructure: Utilise relevant infrastructure to accelerate the development and fine-tuning of AI models and systems.

Specific Tasks and Functions in Slovakia

Article 5(3) details the specific tasks these Centres for AI would be tasked with performing within Slovakia:

  • Digital Transformation Support: The centres would help organisations accelerate their digital transformation by providing access to and use of AI technologies. A critical function is connecting organisations with European providers of cloud and AI technologies. This is a strategic element of CADA, aiming to reduce dependence on non-European providers by fostering direct connections to EU-based tech stacks and sovereign cloud offers.
  • Upskilling and Reskilling: The centres would ensure or provide access to relevant upskilling and reskilling schemes. This would be done in close collaboration with the AI Skills Academy, ensuring that the workforce possesses the necessary competencies to deploy and manage AI systems.
  • Expertise Transfer: They would facilitate the transfer of expertise across regions, helping less digitalised areas in Slovakia catch up with more advanced regions within the country.
  • Support for Start-ups and Spin-offs: The centres would support the scaling-up of spin-offs and start-ups emerging from universities, incubators, and other accelerators. They would do this by facilitating access to clients, companies, and organisations seeking specialised AI services.

The European Network and Cooperation

These centres would not operate in isolation. Article 5(6) mandates the establishment of a network of Centres for AI across the EU. This network would support collaboration and the exchange of best practices among the centres. It would also provide specialised services across regions where the required skills or compute capacity are not available locally. For Slovakia, this means that if a specific AI capability or expert resource is not available domestically, the centre could leverage the EU-wide network to access it.

Furthermore, Article 5(7) requires Member States and the Commission to cooperate with existing networks established under other Union initiatives, including those in the fields of semiconductors and data. This ensures that the Centres for AI in Slovakia are well-integrated into the broader European digital infrastructure, avoiding silos.

Link to the National Cloud and AI Strategy

The establishment of these centres is deeply integrated with the National Cloud and AI Strategy that Slovakia would be required to develop under Article 7 of CADA. Article 7(2)(b) explicitly states that national strategies must include measures to accelerate the development and adoption of cloud and AI at national, regional, and local levels, particularly among public sector bodies, SMEs, and SMCs.

Crucially, the national strategy must include measures "supporting the Centres for AI referred to in Article 5 as entry points to the European AI innovation ecosystem."

Therefore, the Centres for AI would serve as the operational, on-the-ground implementation mechanism for Slovakia's national AI strategy. They would be the physical and organisational hubs where the strategic goals of the national plan are executed. The strategy would define the specific priorities, while the Centres would deliver the support to achieve them.

Governance and Autonomy

While the establishment is mandatory, Article 5(5) grants the Centres for AI "substantial overall autonomy" regarding their organisation, composition, and working methods, provided they comply with the objectives set out in the Regulation. This allows Slovakia flexibility in how it structures these centres within its national administrative framework, as long as they meet the EU-wide objectives.

The Commission would also have the power to adopt implementing acts detailing the procedure for establishing these centres, including participant organisation profiles and selection criteria, as per Article 5(4).

What this means for you

For public-sector bodies, SMEs, and SMCs in Slovakia, the establishment of Experience and Acceleration Centres for AI represents a significant new resource and a potential partner in your digital transformation journey.

  • Access to Expertise: If your public body or company is looking to adopt AI or cloud technologies, these centres would serve as a primary point of contact. They can help you navigate the technical landscape, understand the "AI first" principle, and identify suitable use cases.
  • Connection to European Providers: CADA aims to reduce dependency on non-EU cloud providers. The Centres for AI would actively connect you with European providers of cloud and AI technologies. This is crucial for procurement officers who must increasingly consider sovereignty and "Union assurance levels" when purchasing cloud services. The centres can help you identify vendors that meet these sovereignty criteria.
  • Upskilling Opportunities: Your staff may need new skills to effectively manage AI systems. The centres would provide or facilitate access to upskilling and reskilling schemes in collaboration with the AI Skills Academy. This can help ensure your team is competent in using new AI tools safely and effectively.
  • Support for Innovation: If your organisation is involved in innovation projects or partnerships with start-ups and universities, the centres can help facilitate these connections. They can help scale up AI solutions developed in local research environments for broader public sector or commercial use.
  • Strategic Alignment: As you work on or implement Slovakia's National Cloud and AI Strategy (under Article 7), the Centres for AI will be key partners. They are designated as "entry points to the European AI innovation ecosystem" in the national strategy. Engaging with them will help ensure your procurement and adoption activities are aligned with both national and EU objectives.

In short, these centres would act as a bridge between your organisation, the technical complexities of AI and cloud computing, and the European market for these technologies. They would provide the support needed to adopt these technologies securely, sovereignly, and effectively.

Common misconceptions

"These are brand new institutions that Slovakia must create from scratch." No. As stated in Article 5(1), the Centres for AI would build on the existing European Digital Innovation Hubs (EDIHs). Slovakia would repurpose and expand its current EDIH network, rather than creating entirely new bureaucratic entities.

"These centres will only help private companies." No. Article 5(2)(b) and Article 5(3) explicitly mention supporting public sector bodies, SMEs, and SMCs. They are designed to help all sectors, including government agencies, adopt AI and cloud technologies.

"The centres will provide free AI software and hardware." No. The centres provide support, expertise, training, and connections. They help organisations access technologies and providers, and facilitate upskilling. They do not necessarily provide the technologies themselves for free, but they help you navigate the market and find suitable European providers.

"Slovakia can ignore these centres if it has a national strategy." No. The two are linked. Article 7(2)(b) requires the national strategy to include measures supporting the Centres for AI. The centres are the operational arm of the strategy, so they are essential for its implementation.

Related

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