EU and Philippines announce AI lab to support industry adoption
The lab will operate under a Department of Science and Technology programme, with work spanning infrastructure, skills and investment access.
The European Union and the Philippines have announced an artificial intelligence industry lab as part of digital cooperation under the Global Gateway Strategy. Funding for that broader cooperation now totals €40 million.
Announced during the 2026 AI Forum, the EU–Philippines AI Industry Lab will be established through the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) under its National AI Center for Research and Innovation programme. The European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines organised the forum.
According to the EU, the lab is intended to help European and Philippine industries, micro, small and medium-sized enterprises, and start-ups adopt AI responsibly. Its planned work covers infrastructure and data, workforce skills, market access and conditions to support investment.
The lab will provide an ecosystem drawing on cloud services and datasets, including Copernicus Earth observation data and information from DOST programmes. It will also develop AI applications for energy, health, the environment and disaster resilience, the EU said.
Businesses and innovators will be connected with technical specialists, innovation advisers and European expertise through European Digital Innovation Hubs and AI Factories. Partnerships will also involve local universities and EU private-sector participants in the Philippines.
The EU said the initiative will allow AI solutions to be tested before investment. Its support for standards and market access will draw on EU experience in cybersecurity, data protection, intellectual property, interoperability and human-centred AI governance.
