In a groundbreaking two-day event held at the Aemilia Hotel in Bologna, Italy, the AI-on-Demand (AIoD) Community Forum, hosted by the ICT-49 cluster Projects in collaboration with the AI4Europe project, showcased an array of insightful discussions and success stories surrounding the theme, "The AI-on-Demand Platform: European Industry and Society Success Stories and Opportunities."

Access all the presentations HERE.

Day 1: The AI Ecosystem for SMEs and the AIoD Platform Research Applied to Innovation

The first day of the forum delved into the intricacies of the AI ecosystem, exploring the vision and concept behind the AIoD platform.

• Ecosystem Concept, Vision, AIoD (Gabriel Castañé, AI4Europe/UCC): The day kicked off with a comprehensive exploration of the AIoD platform's concept and vision, setting the stage for in-depth discussions.
• (E)DIHs, AIoD, and SMEs Joining Forces (Maria Roca, Funding Box; Sergio Gusmeroli, POLIMI; Sylwya Stefaniak, EDIH Mazovia; Susanne Kuehrer, EITD): Panellists highlighted the collaborative efforts between (E)DIHs and SMEs, emphasising the mutual benefits and opportunities for harnessing AI's potential.
• AIoD Prerelease Review - Collection of Feedback (Gabriel Castañé, AI4Europe/UCC): Attendees actively engaged in reviewing the AIoD prerelease, providing valuable feedback crucial for refining the platform.
• Enlarging AIoD Community: New Initiatives (Various Project Representatives): Projects such as AI-PRISM, AEQUITAS, BIAS, CONVINCE EU, ENEXA, EVENFLOW, and MAMMOTH introduced themselves through pitch sessions, showcasing initiatives contributing to the growth of the AIoD community.
• AI Act and Trustworthy AI. How Will Business Be Impacted? (Antonino Rotolo, UNIBO; Monica Palmirani, UNIBO): Experts delved into the implications of the AI Act and the role of trustworthy AI in shaping the business landscape.
• Ecosystem Concept, Vision (Emanuela Girardi, ADRA): The day concluded with further exploration of the ecosystem concept and vision, shedding light on its future trajectory.

Day 2: ICT-49 Cluster Projects Final Event: Enhancing Productivity of SMEs

The second day focused on the transformative impact of ICT-49 Cluster Projects on enhancing SME productivity, marking it as their final event.

• Projects in a Nutshell (StairwAI, AIPlan4EU, I-NERGY, AI4Copernicus, DIH4AI, BonsAPPs): The ICT-49 projects presented their achievements, providing insights into their contributions to enhancing SME productivity.
• ICT-49 Panel Discussions and Q&A Sessions (Various Project Representatives): Discussions covered topics such as AIoD, (E)DIHs, TEFs in the AI Ecosystem of Excellence, open calls, SME experiments, matchmaking, human-AI interaction, trustworthy AI, data and AI marketplaces for the AIoD platform, and sustainable business models within the ICT-49 cluster.
• Closing Remarks (EC, ICT-49 & AI4Europe Project Coordinators): The event concluded with a summary of highlights and future directions for the AI-on-Demand community.

The AI-on-Demand Platform: Success Stories and Opportunities for European Industry and Society event showcased a diverse range of perspectives, fostering collaboration, knowledge exchange, and innovation within the European AI landscape.

Thank you to all those who have participated and contributed to the success of the event.