The Ministry of Development announces in September special scheme of Development Law of EUR 150 million to pass the Artificial Intelligence to small and medium-sized businesses and the real economy.

The above was announced by the Minister of Development, Takis Theodorikakos, at a panel of a special thematic discussion on Artificial Intelligence and Innovation, in the framework of the 16th Synedrio of the New Democracy, in the presence of the Prime Minister and President of the New Democracy, Kyriakos Mitsotakis.

The Minister also referred to what he said was the flagship investment for the €340 million gallium production, which is directly related to AI as it is an extremely critical raw material for the creation of microconductors. As he pointed out, this is “a great geostrategic ‘weapon’ that will strengthen the geostrategic position of our country”.

In his statement, the Development Minister said:

“Because everything we do is for future generations, because that is the stake at the end of the day for all of us, I will make an unorthodox starting point for what I am going to say. Mr Koutsouba, my colleague for many years, MP for Boeotia, I would like to congratulate you on your amazing son and to congratulate the Prime Minister of the country for choosing a young scientist, with excellent studies, with ethics and with amazing work, with whom we have an excellent cooperation. We must support young people and make our party the party of the new generation. Because the ideas of this Prime Minister and this party are above all about the future of the country.

Often in our policies we say things that sound technocratic, but for example how much money Greece owes has a huge bearing on the future of our children. No serious family leaves children in debt for the future. And that’s a great lesson that we learned and we will stick to it forever.

Artificial Intelligence: this is a shocking change. All of us have to adjust to the realization that it brings huge changes to our lives, to the way we work, the way we communicate, the way we produce, the way we work, everything. The country has a national strategy and for us the critical thing is to achieve a album of productivity, competitiveness and creativity for businesses and workers, reducing not increasing the contrasts. And not a gap of our own from Greece versus other countries, nor a gap within our society between those who are familiar with AI and those who are not. A difficult challenge…

But this Prime Minister, this Government, this party, early on, formulated a national strategy for AI. Part of it are initiatives taken by the Ministry of Development. Our partnership with tech giant OpenAI and Endeavor on the AI Accelerator programme for businesses. Already 1 in 3 businesses are using AI technologies and half of the startups in Elevate Greece are operating in all sectors using AI.

But we are concerned about something very, very critical. How AI will become part of the action and operation of the small and medium-sized Greek business. To this end, together with the market, the Ministry of Development is creating and implementing a separate development scheme with 150 million euros in funding. EUR 150 million for small and medium-sized enterprises to come into contact with AI, to train their staff, to acquire consultants who will work for them and to acquire equipment that can make use of AI technologies.

I want to say something that I think is very important. Yesterday the Inter-ministerial Committee on Strategic Investments approved and included in the flagship investments a great investment of 340 million euros in gallium production. Gallium chemical compounds are highly critical raw material leading to engineering equipment, micro-machines directly related to AI. The Greek company will produce 50 tonnes per year. The US uses 20 tonnes every year and the EU just over 50. This is a great geostrategic weapon in the hands of the Prime Minister, the Government and the country to strengthen its position on the technology and AI map and certainly the geostrategic position of the country.

It is my belief that AI should remain a technological object in the hands of the people. And not go so far ahead that it holds the reins in the course of human kind. That’s why I fully support the Prime Minister’s initiative to include relevant articles in the constitutional review and why we should lead the way in this as well. At the end of the day, AI is about people, country and the creative economy, not the other way around.

That’s why I think a new national innovation and research agency could be, using the right funding tools, a shareholder in critical start-up companies, especially those related to defence technology and the defence sector. Because the state needs to have strong insight and intervention in such important new technologies. We are moving all this forward with speed, with desire, with passion, with a plan and vision.

And I am sure that they will have a long future, because the government in this country will continue to be New Democracy after the elections with Kyriakos Mitsotakis as Prime Minister.

Thank you very much!”