Let's get to work
The 2026-2030 coalition agreement, "Getting to work, building a better Netherlands," shows that digitization and AI have become an integral part of economic and social policy. In the fall of 2025, several guiding reports were published, including the National AI Delta Plan,the AIC4NL position paper, and the Wennink report, all of which point to the same necessity: targeted investments, greater cohesion, and acceleration of implementation. We are pleased to see that the recommendations from these reports are reflected in the new coalition agreement.
The coalition agreement contains a separate section on digitization and innovation and explicitly marks the transition from pilot country to scale-up country for key technologies such as AI. In this article, we outline the AI plans in the agreement along the three lines from our position paper.
Pillar 1: AI infrastructure and digital autonomy
Digital autonomy is explicitly mentioned as a starting point for the government. The cabinet has opted for a European digital infrastructure, wants to reduce strategic dependencies in cloud, data, and critical systems in a targeted manner, and split up large IT projects so that more Dutch and European SMEs can participate.
This emphasis on sovereignty has gained momentum in recent months, partly due to social and political debate about the migration of vital digital infrastructure to non-European parties, such as that surrounding DigiD. The coalition agreement makes it clear that the government wants to take a more active role in steering the country towards a sovereign digital infrastructure.
The first steps in the field of AI have already been taken with the AI factory in the northern Netherlands as part of the European autonomous data centers. In addition, work is underway to further scale up AI computing capacity, including through so-called AI mega factories. Together, they form the foundation for scalable, secure, and sovereign AI applications. The coalition agreement also provides for the establishment of a Dutch Digital Service (NDD) with a clear coordinating role in digitization within the government.
Pillar 2: From pilot country to scale-up country: our own AI industry
The coalition agreement explicitly positions AI as a key technology within industrial and innovation policy. The Netherlands must not only experiment, but also scale up. This ambition is supported by concrete instruments. For example, a National Agency for Disruptive Innovation will be established to bring breakthrough technologies, including AI, from research to application more quickly.
In addition, the cabinet is announcing the strengthening of a national investment institution, with €3 to €5 billion in additional capital, aimed at supporting AI startups and AI scale-ups, among others, in their growth into groundbreaking national and international companies. By using public funds to leverage private and institutional capital, the emphasis is shifting from isolated pilot projects to upscaling and market application.
In combination with regulatory sandboxes, fiscal instruments, and more targeted public procurement, this creates a coherent set of tools to enable AI companies, among others, to develop, test, and grow.
Pillar 3: AI as a transition accelerator in strategic sectors
Within its industrial policy, the government has selected four areas that are essential for the future economy and social welfare: digitization and AI, security and resilience, energy and climate technology, and life sciences and biotechnology. In these areas, the government wants to build targeted technological niche positions and invest in innovation and upscaling. In addition, the coalition agreement identifies a number of major social challenges, including agriculture and food, which require structural solutions.
In the area of security and resilience, the government is strongly committed to strengthening defense and national security. In our field of work, Defense, we work closely with various stakeholders, including the government, on the use of AI in these tasks. This includes dual-use technology, the AI factory, and autonomous systems.
In the field of energy and climate, the emphasis is on accelerating the energy transition and reducing grid congestion. In our Energy and Sustainability division, we are working on, among other things, the use of AI to improve the prediction of energy consumption and generation.
In life sciences and biotechnology, and more broadly within healthcare, the government is opting for smarter use of technology to relieve the burden on professionals and improve the quality of care. Within our Health and Care division, we carry out various activities related to the use of AI to improve healthcare processes and make them more efficient.
In agriculture, reducing nitrogen pollution is a key priority, with a focus on a future-proof sector and economic prospects for farmers. In our Agriculture and Food working area, we are collaborating with a wide range of stakeholders to develop a national agenda for the use of AI in agriculture, food, and nature.
From ambition to impact
The coalition agreement lays a clear foundation. The next step is implementation with impact: in ecosystems and regions, where government, business, and knowledge institutions come together and with substantial investment power. As AI Coalition 4 NL, we and our 400 participants are ready to contribute our knowledge, expertise, network, and tools to turn these ambitions into concrete impact for the Netherlands. Let's get started!
