This is the fourth lesson of the second module of EUPress Teacher Training, which focuses on European policies regarding the digital economy and society.
The aim of this lesson is to explore some of the key aspects of three new disruptive technologies: cloud computing, artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things.
In its bid to lead the Digital Decade, the European Union has unveiled a sweeping agenda on advanced digital technologies — from artificial intelligence and cloud computing to the fast-growing Internet of Things (IoT). The goal: ensure Europe not only adopts cutting-edge tech, but does so on a foundation of trust, security, and ethical governance.
AI first: A trusted model built on EU values
The Artificial Intelligence Act — the world’s first legal framework on AI — classifies AI uses by risk level, banning unacceptable cases while regulating high-risk applications such as biometric surveillance or medical diagnosis.
The EU’s vision: human-centric AI that supports better healthcare, safer roads, fraud detection, and smarter public services — without compromising rights.
Data and cloud: building a single market for information
Data is multiplying exponentially — set to grow five-fold between 2018 and 2025. To harness this flood of information, the EU has adopted a European Data Strategy that empowers individuals and businesses while enabling innovation.
Key initiatives include:
- The Data Governance Act – to facilitate trustworthy data sharing and boost sectoral data spaces (e.g. energy, mobility, health).
- A European single market for data, where free flow is safeguarded while ensuring EU-level data sovereignty.
- A pipeline of laws — like the upcoming Data Act — to ensure economic value is equitably shared and open data sets are accessible across the Union.
IoT and edge computing: the physical world goes digital
With over 41 billion IoT devices expected by 2025, the EU sees IoT as a backbone of digital transformation in industry, agriculture, mobility, and energy.
But scale brings challenges: interoperability, cybersecurity, and liability in complex digital environments. That’s why the Commission is:
- Promoting EU-wide IoT identification systems,
- Investing €95 million in Horizon Europe projects on IoT and emerging tech,
- Supporting sector-specific data spaces for agriculture, energy, mobility, and beyond.
A multi-DG strategy for a tech-powered Green Deal
The EU’s tech deployment isn’t siloed: programs under DG CONNECT collaborate with directorates for energy, mobility, agriculture, and industry to align digital programs with the Green Deal and REPowerEU.
Examples:
- A common European energy data space to reduce emissions and optimise grids
- A mobility data space supporting smart, sustainable transport
- Digital agriculture tools co-developed for smarter and greener farming
As advanced tech continues to shape global competition, the European Commission is positioning the EU not only as a tech adopter, but as a standard-setter, where regulation, innovation, and strategy reinforce each other.
