Krzysztof Gawkowski, Polish Minister of Digital Affairs, speaking during the Warsaw Security Forum … [+] on October 2, 2024. (Photo by Foto Olimpik/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
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Poland has unveiled a plan to invest 1 billion zlotys ($240 million) in the development of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance its economic competitiveness and strengthen national security amid growing hybrid threats from Russia.
The initiative foresees investments in both civilian and military applications, with efforts to position Poland as a European leader in AI innovation.
One of its main goals is to establish an Artificial Intelligence Fund and an advisory council to oversee and coordinate investments. The Fund will co-finance the construction of an AI Factory and the development of a Polish large language model known as PLLuM.
The AI Factory, one of Europe’s first, will be created by expanding resources at the AGH University of Cracow and integrated into the European AI ecosystem.
“We want this to be the first step in expanding the computing power for Polish artificial intelligence. (…) Thanks to this, we will be able to diagnose diseases better and bring new drugs to the market faster,” said Poland’s deputy prime minister and digital affairs minister, Krzysztof Gawkowski, as he announced the initiative.
He added that the funding would also benefit startups and small and medium-sized businesses.
The government’s detailed AI spending plan is set to be unveiled in the first quarter of next year, with a significant portion likely to support dual-use projects for civilian and military purposes amid heightened tensions in Eastern Europe.
Gawkowski noted that the government is continuously assessing how the war in neighboring Ukraine impacts Poland, Kyiv’s key ally, including through cybercrime and sabotage threats.
According to the minister, Poland experienced twice as many cyberattacks in 2024 compared to the previous year. “There’s hardly a day now when critical infrastructure isn’t targeted by Russian services,” he said.
To counter these threats, implementing AI systems has been designated a top priority in the military’s development plans. A new unit, the Artificial Intelligence Implementation Center, is being established within the Polish Armed Forces under the Cyber Defense Forces Command.
The Ministry of Defense’s AI strategy considers the technology a means to enhance Poland’s capabilities and respond to adversaries using similar measures.
Poland is also closely studying the use of AI on Ukrainian battlefields, including geospatial intelligence solutions, unmanned systems, and cyber warfare, seeking to draw lessons to safeguard its security and counter Russian hybrid attacks.
The Artificial Intelligence Fund is part of broader efforts to prepare Poland for technological challenges.
The National Digitization Strategy, unveiled at the end of October and currently open for public consultations, aims to direct more than 100 billion zlotys ($24 billion) in digital investments by 2030.
Key objectives of the strategy include expanding AI adoption in businesses, enabling full electronic management of public services, increasing AI use in healthcare, and promoting the digital identity wallet. The strategy also envisions dedicating 5% of Poland’s GDP to digital governance by 2035.
The share of Polish companies using AI has grown 36% over the past year, the fastest rate among European Union countries, positioning Warsaw as one of Europe’s frontrunners in AI integration, according to a report commissioned by Amazon Web Services.
Maintaining this momentum could generate an extra $139 billion for Poland’s economy by 2030. Currently, 30% of Polish businesses have adopted AI in their operations, with the defense sector taking the lead, as 71% of companies in this industry are already using the technology, the report found.
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Publish date : 2024-11-26 11:34:00
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