Software Engineering for AI and generative AI (RIA) (AI/Data/Robotics Partnership)

The Horizon Europe grant opportunity titled "Software Engineering for AI and Generative AI (RIA) (AI/Data/Robotics Partnership)" is part of the Cluster 4 initiative focusing on digital, industry, and space technologies. This grant targets advancements in software engineering for AI-driven applications, with an emphasis on improving methods and tools to develop bias-free AI algorithms and generative AI solutions.

Eligible applicants for this grant include legal entities established in EU Member States, as well as associated countries like Iceland, Norway, Canada, Israel, South Korea, New Zealand, Switzerland, and the UK. However, entities owned or controlled by non-eligible countries may face restrictions unless they can demonstrate that their participation won't negatively impact the EU’s strategic interests.

The funding type is primarily through grants classified as Research and Innovation Actions (HORIZON-RIA). The application process follows a single-stage open call format, with a submission deadline of October 2, 2025. The expected funding amount per project ranges from 4 million to 6 million euros, but this can vary based on specific project themes.

The initiative is geared towards projects that can address real-world applications in sectors such as automotive, health, energy, and agriculture. Proposals should tackle issues related to algorithm bias, explainability of AI models, and ensure the integrity of data management pipelines while also creating synergies with ongoing European and national initiatives.

There is encouragement for consortia collaboration, although single applications are permissible. The grant aims to foster innovation that bolsters Europe’s leadership in AI infrastructure while ensuring research outputs are accessible to the European R&D community. The initiative seeks to enhance collaboration capabilities, leading to solutions that maximize technological resources and benefit multiple sectors.

Overall, this funding opportunity looks at propelling advancements in software engineering for AI and generative AI by fostering cooperative projects that ensure Europe remains competitive in the global landscape of AI technology development.

This is a Horizon Europe call, specifically HORIZON-CL4-2025-04-DATA-03, focusing on Software Engineering for AI and generative AI, and it is part of the AI, Data, and Robotics Partnership. It is a HORIZON Research and Innovation Action (HORIZON-RIA) with a budget of 15,000,000 EUR for the year 2025. The call adopts a single-stage submission process. The planned opening date is June 10, 2025, and the deadline for submission is October 2, 2025, at 17:00:00 Brussels time. The expected contribution per project ranges from 4,000,000 to 6,000,000 EUR, with an indicative number of 3 grants to be awarded.

The call aims to improve methods and tools for developing and delivering bias-free AI algorithms and generative AI, and to create new concepts of auto-evolution-enabled software elements that AI algorithms can autonomously select and integrate.

The scope addresses the shortcomings of current methods and tools used to develop and deliver AI pipelines and complex generative AI applications. Identified challenges include: continuous management of data pipelines, novel testing methods, optimized deployment strategies, management of dependencies with diverse hardware, algorithm bias, explainability of AI models, large language models, foundational models, and protection against learning dataset poisoning and prompt poisoning.

The main objectives for the advancements of Software Engineering in this field are: Increasing the productivity of generative AI application developers and operators, especially of foundational and language models. Defining a reference architecture and framework for generative AI application developers to simplify integration and system modularity. Simplifying and automating the development and operation of such applications. Including novel techniques for the generation of labelled training sets for reinforcement learning (RL) from human feedback, to be evaluated with corresponding RL algorithms. Facilitating AI progress and advancement beyond the state-of-the-art in the EU at a faster rate vis-à-vis the rest of the world and contributing to the implementation of the AI Act. Establishing collaboration with EU-based chips designers to maximize how the hardware resources are fully optimized with the software to develop.

The proposal should address at least one use case as an industry application (e.g., automotive, health, energy, food/agriculture, etc.). Actions could build on, provide support or seek collaboration with existing projects, develop synergies and ensure complementarities with other relevant European, national or regional initiatives currently demanding this kind of optimisations possibly in different verticals: e.g. digital twins leveraging GenAI, data quality enhancement leveraging GenAI, development of energy-efficient AI algorithms. Communicable results should be shared with the European R&D community through the AI-on-demand platform, and if necessary, other relevant digital resource platforms to bolster the European AI, Data, and Robotics ecosystem by disseminating results and best practices. This topic implements the co-programmed European Partnership on AI, data and robotics (ADRA), and all proposals are expected to allocate tasks for cohesion activities with ADRA, and the CSA HORIZON-CL4-2025-03-HUMAN-18: GenAI4EU central Hub. Actions are encouraged to build on, provide support or seek collaboration with existing projects, develop synergies and ensure complementarities with other relevant European, national or regional initiatives currently demanding this kind of optimisations possibly in different verticals: e.g. digital twins leveraging GenAI, data quality enhancement leveraging GenAI, development of energy-efficient AI algorithms. In particular, proposals are encouraged to ensure complementarities with projects funded under the following topics: HORIZON-CL4-2024-HUMAN-03-01: Advancing Large AI Models: Integration of New Data Modalities and Expansion of Capabilities, HORIZON-CL4-2024-HUMAN-03-02: Explainable and Robust AI (AI Data and Robotics Partnership) (RIA), HORIZON-CL4-2023-DATA-01-01 AI-driven data operations and compliance technologies (IA), HORIZON-CL4-2021-DATA-01-01 Technologies and solutions for compliance, privacy preservation, green and responsible data operations (RIA), HORIZON-CL4-2021-HUMAN-01-24 - tackling gender, race and other biases in AI. Projects are encouraged to develop synergies and relate to activities and outcomes of the Digital Europe Programme (DEP) and any existing or emerging Important Projects of Common European Interest (IPCEI) initiative.

Admissibility conditions require adherence to page limits and layouts as described in Annex A and Annex E of the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes and Part B of the Application Form. Eligible countries are detailed in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes, with specific provisions for non-EU/non-Associated Countries outlined in the Horizon Europe Programme Guide. Participation is limited to legal entities from Member States, Iceland, Norway, Canada, Israel, the Republic of Korea, New Zealand, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. Entities controlled by non-eligible countries may participate only if they can demonstrate that their participation would not negatively impact the Union’s strategic assets, interests, autonomy, or security.

Financial and operational capacity and exclusion are described in Annex C of the Work Programme General Annexes. Evaluation and award criteria, scoring, and thresholds are described in Annex D of the Work Programme General Annexes. Submission and evaluation processes are described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes and the Online Manual. The indicative timeline for evaluation and grant agreement is described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes. Legal and financial set-up of the grants are described in Annex G of the Work Programme General Annexes and in the specific topic of the Work Programme.

Application forms are available in the Submission System, with standard forms for HE RIA and IA actions. Evaluation form templates will be used with necessary adaptations, and guidance is provided in the HE Programme Guide. Model Grant Agreements (MGA) follow the HE MGA template. Additional documents include the HE Main Work Programme 2025, the HE Programme Guide, the HE Framework Programme 2021/695, the HE Specific Programme Decision 2021/764, the EU Financial Regulation 2024/2509, decisions authorising lump sum contributions, rules for legal entity validation, and the EU Grants AGA.

Partner search announcements can be viewed and edited by LEARs, Account Administrators, and self-registrants. The submission system is planned to open on June 10, 2025.

This funding opportunity aims to foster advancements in software engineering for AI and generative AI within Europe. It seeks to address current limitations in AI development and deployment by promoting open-source solutions, enhancing productivity, and ensuring AI systems are bias-free and aligned with European values. The program encourages collaboration between researchers and industry to create innovative tools and methods that will keep Europe at the forefront of AI technology. By focusing on key areas such as data pipeline management, algorithm explainability, and protection against AI poisoning, this initiative aims to build a robust and trustworthy AI ecosystem that benefits various sectors, including automotive, healthcare, and agriculture. The call is structured to support projects that not only advance the state-of-the-art in AI but also contribute to the broader goals of the European Partnership on AI, data, and robotics.

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicant types are legal entities established in Member States, Iceland, Norway, Canada, Israel, the Republic of Korea, New Zealand, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. However, entities directly or indirectly controlled by a non-eligible country or entity may be restricted unless they can provide guarantees that their participation would not negatively impact the Union's strategic interests, assets, autonomy, or security.

Funding Type: The primary financial mechanism is a grant, specifically through HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions (HORIZON-RIA) and HORIZON Innovation Actions (HORIZON-IA). The type of Model Grant Agreement (MGA) is a HORIZON Action Grant Budget-Based [HORIZON-AG].

Consortium Requirement: While not explicitly stated, the call encourages collaboration and building synergies with existing projects and initiatives, suggesting that a consortium might be beneficial, although single applicants are not excluded. Partner search announcements are available.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The geographic eligibility is limited to legal entities established in EU Member States, Iceland, Norway, Canada, Israel, the Republic of Korea, New Zealand, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.

Target Sector: The program targets the digital sector, specifically focusing on software engineering for AI and generative AI, data, and robotics. It also mentions applications in automotive, health, energy, and food/agriculture.

Mentioned Countries: Iceland, Norway, Canada, Israel, the Republic of Korea, New Zealand, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. The text also mentions EU Member States.

Project Stage: The project stage appears to target both research and innovation actions, suggesting a range from development to demonstration, with a focus on improving methods and tools for AI and generative AI.

Funding Amount: The funding amounts vary depending on the specific topic within the call:
HORIZON-CL4-2025-04-DATA-02: EUR 6,000,000 to EUR 8,000,000
HORIZON-CL4-2025-04-DATA-03: EUR 4,000,000 to EUR 6,000,000
HORIZON-CL4-2025-04-DIGITAL-EMERGING-01: EUR 4,000,000 to EUR 6,000,000
HORIZON-CL4-2025-04-DIGITAL-EMERGING-04: EUR 3,000,000 to EUR 4,000,000
HORIZON-CL4-2025-04-DIGITAL-EMERGING-05: Around EUR 10,000,000
HORIZON-CL4-2025-04-DIGITAL-EMERGING-07: Around EUR 15,000,000
HORIZON-CL4-2025-04-HUMAN-08: EUR 1,000,000 to EUR 2,000,000

Application Type: The application type is an open call with a single-stage submission process.

Nature of Support: Beneficiaries will receive money in the form of grants.

Application Stages: The application process is single-stage.

Success Rates: The success rates are not explicitly mentioned, but the indicative number of grants is provided for each topic, allowing for an estimation based on the number of applications.

Co-funding Requirement: The text does not explicitly mention a co-funding requirement.

Summary: This Horizon Europe call, under the DIGITAL - HADEA (HORIZON-CL4-2025-04) framework, focuses on "Software Engineering for AI and generative AI (RIA) (AI/Data/Robotics Partnership)". It aims to improve methods and tools for developing bias-free AI algorithms and generative AI applications. The call is structured around several topics, each with a specific budget and expected outcomes. Eligible applicants include legal entities from EU Member States, Iceland, Norway, and associated countries like Canada, Israel, South Korea, New Zealand, Switzerland, and the UK, with certain restrictions for entities controlled by non-eligible countries. The funding mechanism is through HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions (RIA) and Innovation Actions (IA), providing grants to support projects ranging from research to demonstration. The call encourages collaboration and synergy with existing projects and initiatives, particularly those related to the AI, Data, and Robotics ecosystem. The application process is single-stage, with a deadline of October 2, 2025. Projects should address at least one use case in industries like automotive, health, energy, or food/agriculture, and results should be shared with the European R&D community. The call also emphasizes the importance of safeguarding the Union's strategic assets and avoiding technological dependency on non-EU sources.