Lecture by Dana Eleftheriadou, Policy Coordinator for Digital Transformation, Directorate‑General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs

Lecture by Dr. Andreas Tegge, Head Global Government Relations, SAP AG

AI is internationally recognised as a main driver of future growth, competitiveness and job creation. It helps to increase productivity and efficiency and it lowers costs; it is also a major driver for innovation and promises to unlock new creative jobs and growth opportunities. AI is likely to be the competitive advantage of the 21st century: it is now the responsibility of policy makers and business leaders to seize the moment.

“I4.0 NTP” (Industry 4.0 National Technology Platform) is a national initiative aspiring to boost manufacturing and industry transformation in Hungary in the wake of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

In February 2017, the Italian Ministry of Economic Development has launched the Industria 4.0 National Plan (I4.0). The new strategy puts in place horizontal measures accessible for all enterprises with an objective to boost the investment in new technologies, research and development, and revitalise the competitiveness of Italian companies.

The growth of digital talent is becoming increasingly important for the economic development of regions and cities. By encouraging the development of digital talent, cities can decrease unemployment and prepare their local communities to the future economy.

The digitalisation of mechanical engineering presents immense benefits for European companies in terms of productivity and performance. To unlock the full potential of the cloud and data for SMEs, more action is needed to standardise data treatment and scale-up investments in digital infrastructure. 

The digitalisation of the automotive industry is rapidly changing our transport and mobility patterns. Traditional automobile manufacturers are racing to develop fully autonomous vehicles to meet the demands of an increasingly connected and fast-paced world. The digitalisation of the sector is thus becoming crucial to the continued growth of the industry and its diversity, securing its future sustainability.

Significant advances in additive manufacturing (AM) technologies have transformed the ways in which products are designed, developed, manufactured, and distributed.