European artificial intelligence policy: mapping the institutional landscape

The Working Paper outlines the positions of relevant actors in the EU policy landscape. For this paper, we focus on the European Commission and other European institutions such as the European Parliament, consultative committees or executive agencies and their efforts to define a common strategy in relation to AI. In order to do this, we bring together the dual aspects of liberal state interventions in technology and innovation that cover both principles of public funding of research on the one hand, and regulatory interventions for industry on the other. 6 Across these areas, a myriad of instruments and bureaucratic mechanisms shape the nature of contemporary EU policy debates on AI. We start by outlining some of the historical context, before mapping key features of the main policy documents published by the European Commission pertaining to AI. We then go on to discuss strategies for funding and investment, and outline contributions from socalled ‚expert groups‘ and resolutions and debates held by European Parliament and other consultative bodies, before ending with a brief mapping of key policy challenges intersecting with digital policies as documented by the Commission.