Contribution of Horizon 2020 to Artificial Intelligence: A research on publications and patents in artificial intelligence in the European Union.

Abstract

This research aims to provide insights into the role of Horizon 2020 funding on the obtaining of scientific publications and patents in artificial intelligence (AI). The goal of Horizon 2020 was to have more breakthroughs, discoveries and world-first by taking great ideas from the lab to the market. The innovation gap in AI is often measured by the number of AI-related scientific publications and patents. Although, after this funding programme came to an end, literature still shows that Europe is falling behind. Quantitative data for this research is used and collected with desk research. The data came from the European Union and OECD REGPAT database (January 2021). This research shows that there is no significant relationship or effect between the number of AI-related patents and Horizon 2020 funding after controlling for GDP per capita, employment and population. When it comes to the AI-related scientific publications, the Horizon 2020 funding does contribute to the number of AI-related scientific publications. From this quantitative research it can be concluded that H2020 AI-related funding mainly contributed to the obtaining of publications and not for patents.