The project was designed around a set of closely interconnected objectives that focus on both capacity building and awareness raising. First of all, it aimed to strengthen the knowledge, skills, and competencies of SME managers and workers, enabling them to effectively implement and leverage AI technologies within their everyday business practices. In parallel, the project seeks to enhance the expertise of VET trainers, recognising their strategic role as key actors in designing and delivering high-quality training initiatives on artificial intelligence tailored to the specific needs of SMEs. Finally, the project placed strong emphasis on increasing overall awareness among SMEs of the concrete benefits that can be gained from integrating AI tools into their daily operations, fostering a more informed and confident approach to AI adoption.
The EU Commission considers AI a strategic asset for the development of the EU economy, highlighting its significance in the Digital Decade Policy Programme 2030 (EP and EC 2022), which sets a target for at least 75% of businesses to use AI by 2030. Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) face greater disadvantages in the transformation, and the OECD recognises the need to give them special attention in order to ensure a fair digital transition (OECD, 2019; Daor et al., 2020). Eurostat data from 2023 reveals that while 28% of large EU enterprises use artificial intelligence technologies, only 8% of SMEs have implemented at least one AI tool. The project addressed the SMEs’ lack of trained staff, budget, time and resources to effectively implement AI technologies at work.