OpenAI and Allied for Startups released a practical report with 20 ideas to speed up real-world use of artificial intelligence in Europe. The goal? To stop being a promise and become an everyday tool for companies, governments, and your professional life.
What OpenAI announced in a nutshell
OpenAI presented the Hacktivate AI report, the outcome of a policy hackathon held in Brussels where 65 participants designed concrete proposals to boost AI adoption across the continent. The announcement arrives just before the European Commission unveils its Apply AI Strategy, a plan meant to accelerate effective AI use in business and the public sector. (openai.com)
The report gathers 20 ideas ranging from individual training to regulatory changes and shared resources for the public sector. Proposals include creating an Individual AI Learning Account to support professional training, an AI Champions Network to help SMEs, a European GovAI Hub for shared public resources, and a so-called Relentless Harmonisation to reduce regulatory fragmentation in the single market. (openai.com)
Why this matters to you, entrepreneur or worker
Are you wondering if this is only for big companies or politicians? It isn't. OpenAI highlights that demand for its tools is already high in several EU countries and that diverse actors—startups, SMEs, hospitals, and pharma companies—use these tools to speed up real projects. Those cases range from supporting medical research to operational improvements in businesses. (openai.com)
If you run or lead an SME, proposals like the AI Champions Network are aimed exactly at lowering practical barriers so your teams can integrate AI without reinventing the wheel. If you're a worker looking to reskill, the Individual AI Learning Account suggests direct support to acquire useful skills without relying solely on the labor market. (openai.com)
What OpenAI found about adoption in practice
OpenAI shares internal research showing accelerated but uneven adoption: sectors like IT and finance are ahead, manufacturing is making progress, and other industries lag behind. That reinforces the need for targeted interventions so adoption doesn't stay concentrated and benefits are spread more widely. (openai.com)
OpenAI also includes public training initiatives as part of the solution. Its own OpenAI Academy has already offered free resources to more than 2 million people—a sign that mass education is critical for fair and effective adoption. (openai.com)
A voice from the event
"Hacktivate AI brought together the energy of Europe’s leading businesses, civil society, and public institutions with the goal to close the gap between the bloc’s AI ambition and reality."
Martin Signoux, EU AI Policy Lead at OpenAI. (openai.com)
What’s next and what to watch closely
The report's release intersects with regulatory and strategic moves in the EU. The Commission’s Apply AI Strategy could be the lever that turns ideas into public policies and concrete funding. If those plans include practical proposals for training, shared tools, and harmonisation, adoption could truly accelerate. (openai.com)
It’s also worth watching how these ideas become pilot projects: national or European hubs, SME networks, and individual learning accounts aren't meaningless in the abstract, but their real impact will depend on design, funding, and public-private collaboration. Will accessibility and equity be prioritised? That's the decisive question.
Where to read the report and dig deeper
If you want to review the 20 ideas directly, OpenAI released the Hacktivate AI report. It's a useful read if you're looking for inspiration for public initiatives or adoption strategies in your company. See the Hacktivate AI report.
The news isn't just that a big company published a report. It's that there's a movement to move from talk to implementation: practical training, shared resources, and less regulatory friction. Does that sound ambitious? Yes. Is it necessary? Also. Distributed AI adoption can be a real opportunity for productive growth and better services—if it's designed with people and small organisations in mind, not just technological capacity.