As part of the 49th MIPRO International Convention, the Centre for Informatics and Computing (CIR) participated in the organization of the Economic AI and HPC Forum (STEP-AI), where an initiative was launched to establish a permanent European network of AI and HPC stakeholders. The initiative aims to strengthen collaboration among EuroHPC AI Factories, AI Antennas, National Competence Centres, research organizations, industry, and the public sector. The Forum was designed as a platform to connect European policies, advanced digital infrastructure, and the practical application of artificial intelligence (AI) and high-performance computing (HPC) in industry.

The Forum brought together Anders Dam Jensen, Executive Director of the European High Performance Computing Joint Undertaking (EuroHPC Joint Undertaking), representatives of the European Commission, AI Factories from Austria, Italy, Hungary, North Macedonia, Slovenia, Poland, and Portugal, as well as representatives of numerous European research institutions and industrial organizations. Particular emphasis was placed on the exchange of knowledge and experience, interoperability of AI infrastructure, cross-border cooperation, and the joint development of services for startups, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and the public sector.

The initiative is fully aligned with the strategic objectives of EuroHPC, which promotes coordination and networking among AI Factories and AI Antennas to facilitate the efficient sharing of infrastructure, expertise, data, and best practices across Europe.

By hosting this Forum, MIPRO further reinforced its role as an international platform that brings together science, industry, and European digital initiatives while contributing to the development of a unified European AI and HPC ecosystem. Participants expressed their commitment to continuing their collaboration through joint projects, expert workshops, knowledge exchange, and the coordinated development of new AI services and digital infrastructure.