The SEDEC Commission of the European Committee of the Regions held a high-level conference today in Malta, hosted by the Eastern Region. The event brought together top EU, national, and local leaders to explore the transformative potential of Artificial Intelligence (AI) for Europe’s regions and cities. Local and regional leaders emphasised the importance of aligning digital innovation with social inclusion and democratic values.
Ensuring Inclusive Progress
Anthony Chircop (MT/EPP), President of the Eastern Region, opened the conference by stating: “On behalf of the Eastern Regional Council, I am humbled and honoured to host a conference on such a relevant and important issue alongside our European colleagues. The use of AI in the workplace, at school, at home—indeed, in our daily lives—is increasing rapidly. Without proper care and education, parts of our communities risk being left behind as the pace of generative AI accelerates. Conferences like this are vital to ensure that policy keeps up with technological progress.”
A Call for a Skills Revolution
Emil Boc, Mayor of Cluj-Napoca, CoR Member, and Rapporteur on the Union of Skills Strategy, addressed the audience with a compelling framework based on three key words: acknowledge, connect, and co-fund. He said: “First, we must acknowledge the transformation. AI is like a tsunami—it’s coming fast, and yet not enough people are paying attention. Some say AI is about tomorrow. I say it’s about this afternoon. It is happening now. Second, local and regional authorities must act as the connective tissue of our societies. We need to connect schools, universities, the business sector, and academia to both the real world and the future world that is rapidly approaching. Building dynamic, collaborative local and regional ecosystems of skills is essential—and urgent. Third, we must leverage European funds to support our local and regional authorities in promoting smart solutions and, critically, in reskilling and upskilling our workforce. To make the most of this technological shift, we need nothing less than a skills revolution fit for the 21st century. That is how we ensure AI serves people and contributes to a better quality of life for all.”
Bridging the Digital and Material Divide
Alberto Cirio, President of the Piedmont Region, Chair of the ECON Commission, and CoR Rapporteur on AI, urged caution—not fear—in AI development. He warned that: “AI lives off information. That wealth of information must be publicly guaranteed and truly available to everyone.”
He underscored the risk of social division, sharing a personal anecdote: “I come from a village of 656 people in Piedmont. There is no mobile phone signal, no internet. In our region, which has 1,200 municipalities, digital infrastructure is still lacking. If we do not close this digital divide, AI will only worsen it.”
Cirio also highlighted critical supply chain concerns: “AI platforms consume vast amounts of energy and rely on rare raw materials. Are we, as Europe, prepared to provide the necessary energy and secure access to those materials? Otherwise, we risk repeating the mistake we made with electric vehicles—promoting them without securing battery resources.”
He went on to provide tangible examples of AI’s benefits, such as traffic flow optimisation and a remarkable case from Turin: “In Turin, we host Italy’s Foundation for Artificial Intelligence. At the foundation’s launch in Turin, we invited an Italian boy named Michele, who had a spinal cord injury and can’t move his legs. Thanks to AI, a bypass was created that goes around his spinal lesion. The system receives signals from his brain, converts them into electromagnetic impulses, and transmits them below the lesion. By pressing a button, he moves his legs. This is artificial intelligence.”
AI for Sustainability and Community Empowerment
Building on Cirio’s call for a balanced approach, Csaba Borboly, Vice-President of the Harghita County Council and a longstanding advocate for local sustainability, shared how his region is harnessing AI in practical and people-centred ways: “I would like to present our example—initiatives focused on sustainability. In Harghita County, we see AI not as a buzzword—but as a real tool to help our communities. Our BalneoMap project—covering three counties—uses geospatial data to map mineral water sources. This supports eco-tourism, resource protection, and public health. We also planted over 50,000 trees since 2022 through our Trees That Give Life initiative. With AI-based models, we could find the best places to plant, predict survival, and estimate carbon capture. But let’s be clear: AI must support—not replace—local knowledge and community action. In the Committee of the Regions, I’ve often said: local and regional authorities know their people and land best. We need: transparent data use, ethical rules, and training for our people to shape these tools together. This way, AI can help us build greener, fairer, and smarter regions—from Harghita to all of Europe.”
Protecting Young People in a Digital Age
Glenn Micallef, EU Commissioner for Intergenerational Fairness, Youth, Culture, and Sport, addressed the conference via video message. He stated: “AI is already helping us detect and remove harmful content online—from deepfakes to child sexual abuse material and exploitation. Its potential to do this faster, more accurately, and at greater scale is growing every day. These technologies must be used to protect children and young people—not prey on them.”
A Shared Vision for Digital Transformation
The conference explored a range of AI-related challenges and opportunities, particularly in the context of the EU’s evolving legislative framework, including the Artificial Intelligence Act, and the digital skills gap. Local and regional authorities shared examples of how AI is modernising public services: intelligent mobility systems, AI-powered analytics for community safety, and citizen-centric local government chatbots.
As the European Commission prepares to unveil the EU’s next long-term budget post-2027 in July, discussions turned to the financial instruments needed to meet priorities such as security, competitiveness, and the digital and green transitions. Local and regional leaders reiterated that digital investment at the regional level is essential to close the innovation gap and ensure that no territory is left behind.
The event reaffirmed the pivotal role of sub-national governments in ensuring that AI development and deployment are grounded in democratic oversight, ethical principles, and the real-world needs of European citizens.