Selected from the network by Eng. Anelia Dimova, Information Society Policy Expert and Dr. Bissera Zankova, Media Expert

The report is an in-depth review of the processes related to artificial intelligence (AI), and in particular how Bulgaria is preparing for the implementation of the European Union Law on Artificial Intelligence, by combining strategic investments in high-performance computing, national data management, excellence in AI research and support for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Coordinated by the Ministry of eGovernment (MEG), Bulgaria is building its AI ecosystem through institutions including the leading research and innovation centers in Sofia INSAIT, GATE, IICT-BAS, the Discoverer and HEMUS supercomputers, the National Health Information System and the expanding network of the European Digital Innovation Hub (EDIH). INSAIT, jointly established with ETH Zurich and EPFL, is advancing frontier research in AI through BgGPT – the country’s first open-source Bulgarian language model, while GATE is developing national data spaces and responsible AI experimentation. Discoverer, HEMUS and the upcoming Avitohol supercomputer, together with Bulgaria’s participation in Euro HPC, provide the computing capacity needed for the development, testing, validation and reproducibility of AI models.

Health data governance is advancing through the National Health Information System (NHIS), the National Health Strategy 2030 and participation in the VELES Centre of Excellence, creating managed environments for validation of high-risk AI and cross-border sharing of health data in South-Eastern Europe.

Four European Digital Innovation Hubs (EDIH), the Competitiveness and Innovation Programme for Enterprises (€200 million) as well as the Invest EU guarantee programme are reducing compliance barriers for start-ups and SMEs seeking to deploy and scale up AI solutions. Bulgaria’s national approach is built on a responsible, human-centred deployment of the Bulgaria AI Strategy and is based on ethics, privacy, security and human-centricity. Data governance and re-use are treated as a key element for the development of artificial intelligence. Bulgaria is investing in a strategic computing infrastructure with high-performance and reliable computing capacities and is implementing the principle of innovation from research to market. Research and innovation are supported by the aforementioned institutions such as INSAIT and EPFL, as well as by the Institute of Information and Communication Technologies (IICT-BAS). Bulgaria is prioritizing the development of AI skills in society through initiatives including AI guidelines for schools, a vocational education program for specialized AI programmers (580 students in 13 secondary schools), the INSAIT Explorer scholarship program combining university education with research, the GATE Master’s program in Big Data Technologies, and the first International Olympiad in Artificial Intelligence, held in 2024.

However, the transition from strategy to operational infrastructure poses challenges. The key question is whether Bulgaria can transform its strong investments in AI computing, data management, and research into a mature ecosystem for conformity assessment before the obligations for high-risk services under the EU Artificial Intelligence Law enter into full force. With the EU Artificial Intelligence Act fully implemented, should Bulgaria prioritize the designation of a clear national competent authority for AI or focus first on accelerating operational capacity for conformity assessment through its high-performance computing, research and data management infrastructure? Data and computing resources are indeed the first path to readiness for the implementation of the European Union act. However, key gaps remain: the national AI strategy lacks a dedicated action plan with specific implementation deadlines, implementation protocols are at an early stage, and the broader conformity assessment ecosystem is still developing.

Contributors to the report include Sean Musch, AI & Partners, Michael Charles Borrelli, AI & Partners, Charles Kerrigan, CMS UK, Hristo Butchvarov, Toni Stoykova, Yanislava Hristova and Etien Yovchev.

Source  https://www.linkedin.com/posts/ai-%26-partners_cp-bg-activity-7490647847911063552-jssz/