AIC4NL in 2026: impact with AI
Over the past year, the focus has been on AI in action, and we have worked together to build programs, networks, and preconditions to accelerate AI innovation in the Netherlands. In 2026, the focus will shift to impact with AI: from setting up to scaling up, from pilots to broader application, from separate initiatives to cohesion. This requires focus, courage, speed, and a joint course of action to deploy AI in such a way that it makes the Netherlands more innovative, resilient, and future-proof.
Maintain course and accelerate
In 2026, we will continue to implement ourStrategic Agenda 2025–2027. We will build on what works, roll out successful initiatives more widely, and strengthen the coherence between programs, partners, and investments.
At the same time, we have refined our ambitions in response to rapid developments in AI. This refinement is laid down in ourposition paper, in which we specify the additional investments needed to ensure that the Netherlands can keep up internationally. These include targeted investments in a secure and reliable AI infrastructure, strengthening the Dutch AI industry, and accelerating AI application in strategic sectors. It is encouraging that many of these principles are reflected in the Wennink report,which endorses the importance of targeted and large-scale investments in AI.
Further developing and expanding AI programs
For AI to truly be of value to the Netherlands, good ideas must progress beyond the pilot phase. Promising AI initiatives still too often fail at an early stage. Many organizations lack access to knowledge, skills, and room for experimentation, while ethics and legislation are insufficiently embedded in development processes. AI adoption in SMEs also lags behind.
That is why further investment is needed in tools that help organizations develop and apply AI responsibly. These include:
- With Innovation Labs, we ensure that groundbreaking AI ideas do not remain untapped, but quickly and responsibly find their way into practice.
- To help improve AI skills, we use Learning Communities in which practical cases are worked on using case-based learning.
- Through ELSA Labs, we are investigating how ethics and legislation influence the development of AI. Six labs are currently operational, and in 2026 we will start a new round to further deepen this commitment.
- Through the MIT AI scheme, we are accelerating AI adoption in SMEs.
- With Fellowships Grants, we encourage the recruitment of top AI researchers.
- We will continue to develop the Breaking Barriers scaling program in 2026, with the aim of providing targeted support to AI startups as they grow into scale-ups.
We are also developing new programs based on so-called Grand Challenges: complex social or strategic issues that require an integrated approach. One example is the field of defense, where issues surrounding security, autonomy, and speed are becoming increasingly urgent. AI enables us to accelerate and improve decision-making, use data in a more targeted way, and thus strengthen operational and strategic capabilities. We are also focusing on developing new programs for Agriculture & Food, Digital Government, and Healthcare & Health.
Strengthening areas of work
AI affects virtually all sectors, but the way in which it does so varies greatly from one domain to another. Issues, preconditions, and pace vary. Without a sector-specific approach, AI application remains generic and limited in effect. That is why we work with a targeted approach for each sector through our sectoral areas of activity. AIC4NL also has thematic areas of activity with broader themes that transcend sectors.
In 2026, we will strengthen our sectoral areas of activity:Health & Care,Energy & Sustainability, Mobility & Logistics,Agriculture and Food,Public Services, andDefense. In addition, we will strengthen our thematic areas of activity : Values, Standards and Regulations, Talent, Knowledge and Skills, and Innovation and Transition.
Accelerating SME adoption
SMEs form the backbone of many sectors and are therefore crucial to the economic strength of the Netherlands. If AI adoption lags behind in SMEs, the social and economic impact of AI will also remain limited. At the same time, governments need innovative solutions to complex implementation issues.
That is why we focus on SMEs and AI readiness across all areas of work. We help organizations deploy AI in business processes and products and deal with its impact on work, governance, and business models. We also encourage the government to act as a launching customer, so that innovations from SMEs can be applied more quickly.
AI infrastructure and AI Fair Tech
To enable AI at scale, we will invest specifically in the preconditions in 2026. We will continue to work on the realization of the AI factory, with high-quality hardware infrastructure, a center of expertise, and strong links to the national AI ecosystem. The AI factory is a crucial building block for research, innovation, and application. At the same time, we are preparing the next step towards a broader AI deployment infrastructure, so that AI solutions can not only be developed, but also widely deployed.
In addition, we encourage the development of AI Fair Tech, for example by making large-scale datasets available for training and applying AI models.
Further expanding the community
In 2026, our community will remain the place where participants share knowledge, experiences, and dilemmas about AI. While some organizations are focusing on ethical AI applications, others are already further along in the implementation process. We can learn a lot from each other in this regard. We will invite even more parties to join us, from the business community, government, knowledge institutions, and civil society organizations.
In doing so, we are strengthening our collaboration with theseven regional AI hubs. These hubs form the link between national and regional AI activities and connect companies, knowledge institutions, and other organizations that work with AI locally. In this way, we are responding to regional needs and accelerating the practical application of AI.
To bring together all parties and those interested in AI, we are organizingthe Dutch AI Congress on April 14, 2026. Curious about what else we organize for our participants and other interested parties? Take a look at ourevent overviewor sign up for ournewsletter.
Develop and scale up AI investment fund
To ensure that innovation actually translates into impact, we will focus on capital and upscaling in 2026. We are working on the development of an AI investment fund and accelerator, with a target of €500 million. We will focus both on early-stage startups and their growth into scale-ups. We are building a strong and cohesive startup pipeline, in which programs such as Breaking Barriers are a logical next step towards further upscaling. We see public-private investments as an essential precondition for this and therefore see ourselves as a catalyst for this.
Working together with Europe and internationally
The international context remains decisive. In 2026, we will actively join the EU AI Continent Action Plan and strengthen cooperation with European partners, including through ADRA, the European AI Forum, ALT-EDIC, and other application-oriented EDICs in Agrifood and Digital Commons. By joining forces with Europe, we are building a strong joint AI position, in which innovation, scale, and public values go hand in hand.
