The kickoff meeting for the EUSAiR project, funded by the European Commission, was held in Bologna on January 23-24, 2025. EUSAiR aims to support the implementation of regulatory sandboxes for Artificial Intelligence in EU countries, creating controlled environments to test and validate innovative AI systems before they are placed on the market. The two-year project is led by the ICSC – Italian Research Center on High Performance Computing, Big Data and Quantum Computing and involves: academic excellence (Universities of Bologna and Florence, University of Turku, and Haaga-Helia), national authorities (ACN), world’s leading supercomputing centers (BSC, CINECA, CSC), the largest network of digital SMEs in Europe (European DIGITAL SME Alliance) and organizations specialized in responsible AI (ALLAI and TÜV AI.Lab) and processes of communication and co-creation (LOBA).

EUSAiR will concentrate on providing standardized regulatory frameworks, strengthening technical and legal capacities, and fostering cooperation among European Union Member States. The implementation of regulatory sandboxes, which the project will support and coordinate, will ensure access for AI innovators, particularly SMEs and startups, helping them reduce compliance costs with new regulations and making their market entry more sustainable. In this context, competencies will be provided to national authorities and key players in the European AI ecosystem, encouraging a multidisciplinary commitment to joint initiatives, with a strong emphasis on the ethical use of AI. Through an innovative approach, EUSAiR aims to enhance regulatory oversight, promote evidence-based learning, disseminate best practices, and facilitate AI systems’ access to the EU market.

During the meeting, strategies to foster AI innovation and competitiveness were discussed, with a focus on improving legal certainty for innovators and facilitating regulatory compliance. “Regulatory sandboxes represent a crucial step in harmonizing the implementation of the AI Act, supporting the development of innovative AI in Europe—especially for SMEs and startups—and contributing to making the European AI model attractive and trustworthy. To achieve this, the project will work closely with the European Commission’s AI Office, the 27 Member States, and organizations such as the TEFs and EDIHs to promote broad accessibility to these sandboxes, reducing compliance costs and market entry barriers”, stated Antonino Rotolo (UNIBO and ICSC), project coordinator, at the conclusion of the kick-off meeting.