This is one of the main conclusions of the study "The impact of artificial intelligence in Mediterranean Arc countries", commissioned by Mediterranean Geopolitics & Public Policies (Geomett) and prepared by VRAIN of the UPV. The document shows the importance that AI will have in the countries of the Mediterranean Arc, as well as its benefits in health, meteorology, the environment, the elderly, education, and the public sector.

The report, presented to the European Parliament by VRAIN researchers from the UPV, Aída Gil and Vicent Botti, was also attended by the president of Geomett, Jorge Garcés-Ferrer and the rector of the UPV, José E. Capilla.
It highlights how Turkey has the fifth most significant investment in AI over the last ten years, spending almost $3.4 billion, and Israel ranks fourth among the MEA countries. This shows the correlation between scientific output, measured in scientific publications, and the returns that AI activity produces in the country.

This fact highlights the researcher and Project Manager of VRAIN, Aída Gil, "demonstrating the importance of collaborating countries with greater power in R&D&I with those that show worse results to help improve their situation. And the need to adopt measures that correct the imbalance between countries and promote actions that facilitate the implementation of AI technologies in those countries where their use is still deficient".
The report's findings highlight that the growth of AI in the consumer, enterprise, government, and defence sectors is increasing. As a result, there has been a shift from talking and reporting on AI to planning and building AI solutions.

Low level of AI application in Mediterranean Arc companies

In this sense, "the number of companies in the Mediterranean Arc that have already adopted digital technologies is deficient and in some countries nil. And it is even more lacking and accentuated in SMEs, even though the indicators of companies that have already adopted AI show their improvement in the entry of new markets, the improvement of products and services and the attraction of new clients", explains Aída Gil.

However, the study underlines that the benefits of AI are evident, not only for companies, but also on a societal level if AI is ensured with moral, social, and cultural values, such as security, sustainability, democracy, participation, transparency or accountability.

Decalogue of recommendations

In addition, the report includes a decalogue of recommendations for the Mediterranean Arc, such as the creation of a network of AI centres to facilitate the transfer of knowledge in this technology, the design of a system of aid to facilitate the stay of research staff and students in the centres, support for the implementation of AI in the most impoverished countries and the facilitation of training in AI technologies, in addition to making it easier for companies and governments in the most disadvantaged countries to access this technology or to ensure that there is a General Data Protection Regulation for the protection of personal data in all countries.
The Mediterranean Arc (MA) is composed of Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Slovenia, Spain, France, Greece, Italy, Malta, Monaco, Montenegro, Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, Tunisia, Cyprus, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Turkey and Palestine.