#Softbank invests in 🇪🇺/🇫🇷 #DigitalAutonomy
KEY POINTS
Japan’s Softbank is planning to invest 45 billion euros ($53 billion) over 5 years to build #ai infrastructure in France in the first phase of its push.
The commitment is part of a 75-billion-euro ($87 billion) program to build AI data centers in 🇫🇷
It marks the Japanese tech giant’s largest AI infrastructure investments in Europe.
Hoe kan het hoger onderwijs breken met big tech en wat kunnen andere publieke organisaties hiervan leren?
Het overgrote deel van de Nederlandse hogescholen en universiteiten gebruikt Microsoft-diensten. Digitale autonomie wordt gelukkig steeds meer omarmd.
In dit panel op 5 juni onderzoeken @wlaatje (SURF), @oj_gstrein (Rijksuniversiteit Groningen) en Quirine van Eeden (Rathenau) de weg naar digitale autonomie, met moderatie door @laurakrabbe.
Meer #PubConf2026: https://conference.publicspaces.net/session/children-first-ai-second
🚨 Why Data Autonomy Can’t Wait – At this year’s #AIGG2026 in Brussels on Tuesday, I broke down why digital dependency is now a governance crisis — and how data autonomy offers a way forward.
🔗 Full slide deck: https://research.rug.nl/files/1526833797/data-sovereignty-and-data-autonomy_ver4.pdf
📋 Assessment framework: https://www.rug.nl/jantina-tammes-school/community/themes/data-autonomy/daix-main
📚 Further reading (more soon!): https://research.rug.nl/files/1189676103/EERR2023028.pdf
RE: https://mastodon.nl/@matherion/116600733367236932
Dr. Oskar Gstrein ( @oj_gstrein, @universityofgroningen, and @Jantina_Tammes_School) closing remarks on the challenges of #DigitalSovereignty & #DataAutonomy: Start by identifying ánd articulating which ambitions you want to pursue!
Digital autonomy | How to move from Ambition to Action?
Looking forward to the session today with perspectives from:
💚 Emile Bijk (HKU)
💚 @marije (UU)
💚 @oj_gstrein (RUG / Jantina Tammes School of Digital Society)
💚 @ossington (HR)
💚 @matherion (OU)
Hosted by my dear colleague Annette Langedijk!
https://pretalx.surf.nl/surf-research-day-2026/talk/D3XX3N/
@SURF Research Day 2026
How can you reduce undesirable dependency on external digital platforms, tools and infra and take greater control of your research? In this interactive Challenge Session, you’ll explore the future of digital autonomy in an open space together with researchers, experts and peers. This is not a passive talk, it’s a dynamic, thought-provoking discussion where your perspective, thoughts and experience matter. Together, we’ll explore the impact of technology, the role of policy, and the power of the research community. Join us in this open discussion and let's connect our minds! **Annette Langedijk (SURF) will moderate this discussion.**
#EDPS has just launched a pilot project for an AI regulatory sandbox🚀.
Under the #AIAct, the EDPS as supervisory authority may establish a regulatory sandbox. We have decided to seize this opportunity.
As market surveillance authority for the EU public administration, our objective is to provide a safe space to develop, train, test, and validate AI systems against the requirements of the AI Act. Leading by example is key, especially as many existing systems in the EU public sector will not fall under the AI Act before 2030.
For this pilot, we are working with the European Commission's Directorate-General Human Resources and Security on an AI system designed to support job matching in EU selection procedures. The system aims to assist recruiters in identifying suitable candidates for interviews and reduce the risk of bias.
This initiative has a dual purpose:
💡providing concrete guidance on compliance challenges for specific AI use cases; and
🛠️stress-testing our own readiness to design and operate a fully-fledged AI regulatory sandbox, both in terms of expertise and technical infrastructure.
I've spoken with @oj_gstrein on data autonomy as a concept - and what it means for European Universities.
PublicSpaces
Wladimir Mufty
UG Privacy Community Bot
EDPS
Nikolaus Forgó