S3P T&BD
The launch of the European Digital Innovation Hub DIVA was celebrated last March 14th. This Hub consists of a one-stop shop that provides services towards the implementation of green and human-centred Artificial Intelligence, data and robotics within companies and public administrations in several sectors, such as Agriculture, Agrifood, Energy, Health, Mobility, Aeronautics, Shipbuilding, Sailing, Vehicles, Tourism, as well as start-ups which design digital products and services.
DIVA helps businesses in Pays de la Loire to go digital, thus making them more effective, in whatever sector they operate in. Small and medium-sized businesses, digital start-ups and regional organisations can turn to DIVA for all the support they need, including for data handling.
DIVA has been awarded the EDIH label (European Digital Innovation Hub). It is supported by the Pays de la Loire Regional Council and co-financed by the European Commission. The hub gathers complementary expertise to accelerate the digital transformation of businesses. It also seeks to foster an ethical and principled use of artificial intelligence (AI).
As a hub, DIVA draws on different digital players to provide bespoke support to businesses in data management and AI. It offers a range of services to small and medium-sized businesses and digital start-ups in Pays de la Loire operating in different sectors of activity as described before. These services include:
Over the next three years, DIVA hopes to engage with 3,000 businesses in the region, to perform some 500 assessments, to support 150 projects and to achieve 50 AI proofs of concept.
This EDIH also seeks to adopt a responsible approach to AI and digital transformation. This is in keeping with the European Commission's goal to foster an ethical use of digital technology and AI. It also draws on the region's strong commitment to CSR. This means that all the projects supported by DIVA will undergo impact measures and optimisation research in relation to their economic, social, environmental, legal and regulatory aspects. In this respect, the DIVA consortium is setting up a user and ethics committee. It will draw on data science, AI and CSR experts but also philosophers and researchers in cognitive science and human factors. The aim is to anticipate the issues that AI will have in society and to provide a means to support businesses while caring for people.