Netherlands Allocates €204 Million for AI Development

The Dutch government will allocate €204.5 million ($222.07 million) for the development of artificial intelligence systems, according to a statement from the Ministry of the Interior.

The funds will be distributed through the National Growth Fund. The ministry believes this will ensure the country does not “remain on the sidelines” when it comes to AI.

The document outlines a strategy to leverage the benefits of generative technologies like ChatGPT while simultaneously safeguarding against the risks of misinformation and reduced employment opportunities.

“The essence is to develop and retain talent in the field of AI, allowing us to create forms of generative AI that meet European standards and values,” stated the country’s Minister of Education, Culture and Science, Robert Dijkgraaf.

According to him, the government is also considering investment options in “large-scale scientific and technological infrastructure,” such as supercomputers.

“This will allow us to remain competitive in the field of LLM and other forms of generative artificial intelligence,” Dijkgraaf concluded.

Earlier, a group of European lawmakers announced plans to develop a draft of rules to regulate the development of AI systems.

In October 2023, it was reported that EU authorities are discussing tightening regulations on major AI models, including Meta’s Llama 2 and OpenAI’s GPT-4.

ForkLog covered notable developments in the field of artificial intelligence in 2023 in a New Year article.