The AIT Technology Talks 2024 brought together leaders, innovators, and policymakers to discuss the future of technology in driving Europe’s green transition. With a focus on how artificial intelligence (AI) and digitalisation are transforming industries, the event provided key insights into Europe’s ambitious plans, aligning with the Horizon Europe CAELESTIS project’s mission to use AI to accelerate modernisation across sectors.
Framing the Transition: A Triple Challenge
A key takeaway from the event was the evolution of the green transition into what is now being called the Triple Transition—a shift that encompasses ecological, digital, and human-centred dimensions. This comprehensive approach calls for rethinking energy production and consumption while adapting industries for a sustainable and technologically advanced future. Leonore Gewessler, Austria’s Federal Minister for Climate Action, emphasised this during her opening remarks, stating that “innovation is about impacting society, policy, and the environment all at once.”
Austria’s approach to innovation is particularly bold, with 50% of its national budget for applied research dedicated to driving the green transition, and the remaining 50% focused on strengthening societal and business resilience. This “whole-of-government” approach reflects the need for cohesive policies that enable technological development while ensuring social adaptation. The CAELESTIS project embodies this vision, demonstrating how digitalisation and AI can accelerate industrial transformations while prioritising ecological impact. Europe’s innovation landscape, as highlighted during the event, aims to lead globally in this effort.
AI as a Catalyst for Transformation
Artificial intelligence was central to many discussions at the Technology Talks, touching on its role in sectors from renewable energy to pharmaceuticals. In a keynote speech, Gauri Singh, Deputy Director-General of the International Renewable Energy Agency, highlighted how AI and digital tools will be crucial in speeding up the global shift to renewable energy, enhancing efficiency, and improving decision-making. Singh pointed out that many of the technologies needed to achieve climate goals are still in development, but AI offers the potential to model and predict outcomes that human intuition alone cannot easily achieve.
In another session, Nikolaus Krall of Exscientia discussed AI’s transformative role in pharmaceutical R&D, where it is drastically reducing the time needed for molecule design and analysis. AI is not only improving productivity but also unlocking new avenues of innovation that would have been out of reach just a decade ago. This closely aligns with CAELESTIS, which harnesses AI to accelerate industrial modernisation, leveraging predictive analysis, resource management, and automation to drive sustainable change across various sectors.
The Digital Future: Preparing for What’s Next
The digital transition was another focal point of the conference, particularly during a session led by Martin Kocher, Austria’s Federal Minister of Labor and Economy. Kocher emphasised the need to develop new skills for a future where many jobs have yet to be created. As Kocher stated, “There is a huge demand for skills that will be needed in 10 or 15 years,” highlighting the urgency of upskilling and reskilling the workforce to meet future demands.
The importance of AI in balancing economic growth and addressing labour shortages was a key theme. AI will play a crucial role in mitigating the effects of a shrinking labour force by enabling automation in industries such as manufacturing and services. The CAELESTIS project reflects this mindset, aiming to merge AI with human expertise to foster sustainable innovations, create jobs, and drive equitable growth.
Looking Ahead: Innovation as Europe’s North Star
The AIT Technology Talks presented an optimistic but realistic view of Europe’s innovation trajectory. The Triple Transition is not only achievable but also essential, provided that collaboration, strategic investments, and cutting-edge technologies like AI are embraced. However, the success of this transition will require sustained efforts from governments, businesses, and researchers alike.
The CAELESTIS project is a prime example of how AI and digitalisation can help drive modernisation while addressing sustainability challenges. As Leonore Gewessler noted, “a strategy is only a strategy, and a north star is only a north star if you don’t change it every five years.” Europe’s commitment to innovation must remain steadfast, ensuring that it continues to lead the global charge in combating climate change and driving digital transformation.
Find out more about RTDS work with CAELESTIS
As leaders in dissemination, exploitation, communication and collaboration, RTDS is responsible for enabling the uptake of CAELESTIS’ results to achieve scientific, societal, economic and technological impact. This includes executing tailored dissemination and exploitation measures while communicating CAELESTIS solutions and engaging users.
RTDS Association is the Austrian non-profit arm of the RTDS Group supporting implementation and management of European research and innovation projects to optimise the use of results for maximum impact. RTDS has a proven track record in enabling the innovators to move research and technology from the lab to the market.
