How can we accelerate Europe’s role in the global AI race?

Europe’s Role in the Global AI Race

When the AI, Data, Robotics Forum 2025 was opened by Emanuela Girardi, President of ADRA (AI, Data and Robotics Association), she emphasized the need to unite Europe’s fragmented AI and robotics initiatives and move from strategy to implementation and execution:

“It’s difficult to compete with the U.S. due to differences in investment levels. That’s why we must compete in a different way.”

This was echoed by Nabil Belbachir, Research Director at NORCE and local organizer of the conference. He stated that the challenges are too great for any single country or environment to solve alone—Europe must work together. As an example, Belbachir quoted a conversation with a participant from a manufacturing company:

“It is my first time at the ADRA Forum, and it has been a great experience. In just two days, I received invitations to at least 10 new collaborations.” the participant said.

Belbachir explained that this is exactly the kind of outcome the organizers aim to facilitate in future forums: to create a genuine meeting place between suppliers, researchers, and end-users, and to build a sustainable ecosystem that fosters high-impact collaboration in AI, data, and robotics.

A More Resilient Europe

– The future of our children is in our hands. As Europe lags in the race for technological supremacy, we face a high risk of losing both jobs and influence. At this edition of the ADRA Forum, we focused on how we can work together to build a competitive and resilient Europe. I am especially proud to see that ADRF25 attracted a large number of end-users, who are a crucial pillar for driving Europe’s sustainable development, Belbachir says.

Technological development is key to a more robust Europe. We must identify what industry needs today to be globally competitive. The long-term goal is to turn European expertise into European impact. AI, data, and robotics are tools that strengthen supply chains, healthcare, public services, and make industry more sustainable.

“It’s not just about innovation, but about shaping a Europe that is competitive, sustainable, and prepared for the future,” said Camilla Stoltenberg, CEO of NORCE. Here, research both should and can play a critical role.

Annual Event

The AI, Data and Robotics Forum (ADRF25) is an annual event organized by the AI, Data and Robotics Association (Adra)—the private side of the European partnership for artificial intelligence, data, and robotics—in collaboration with the European Commission and local partners. ADRF brings together leading experts, innovators, decision-makers, and enthusiasts from the AI, data, and robotics communities across Europe.

The goal is to identify opportunities for Europe to position itself globally as a competitive player by uniting ADR communities and discussing strategies, research, and implementation of these technologies for European industry and society. NORCE, Sintef, and EDIH Oceanopolis were the local organizers of this year’s ADRF, which gathered around 450 participants at Stavanger Forum.

Topics addressed at the conference included:

• The status of AI, data, and robotics in Europe
• How to attract skilled professionals and investors
• Security and resilience – protection of critical infrastructure
• Innovation and start-ups
• Converging technologies and value creation