“AI will play a major role in shaping our future. But what that future will look like is not yet set in stone. We want a Netherlands where AI benefits everyone and helps us move forward. Where nurses have more time for patients, entrepreneurs can grow their businesses, and technology helps us tackle the major challenges of our time. That requires us to make choices. Where do we want to lead the way, and where do we draw the line? We don’t need to be able to do everything ourselves, but we do want to decide for ourselves which direction we take.”
State Secretary Aerdts (Digital Economy and Sovereignty)
Shaping the future of AI ourselves
The Government is committed to ensuring a strong Dutch and European position in AI, greater scope for development and application, and better control over the implications for people and society. The Netherlands cannot lead the way in every aspect of AI. That is why we are focusing on the knowledge, businesses and infrastructure where economic opportunities and societal challenges converge. Examples include healthcare, energy, food production, security and the high-tech industry. We are doing this together within Europe and with reliable international partners. The aim is not complete independence, but sufficient in-house knowledge and capacity to maintain access to key technologies and to continue making our own choices.
People’s well-being is at the heart of this. AI must not only deliver economic growth, but also ensure better jobs, better public services and solutions to societal challenges. In doing so, we also set limits. Not everything that is technically possible is also socially desirable. The government protects people’s fundamental rights and safeguards our public values.
From vision to implementation
To achieve this objective, the Government is focusing on three pillars: the responsible development and use of AI, access to advanced AI technology and security, and steering the AI transition in line with our public values.
First and foremost, the Government wants to make it easier for Dutch AI companies to grow and to ensure that AI is adopted more quickly and responsibly, both in the private sector and within the public sector. This requires talent, capital, data, sufficient computing power, and clear and workable legislation and regulations. The government is working on a comprehensive approach to data centres, and a detailed plan setting out the necessary AI infrastructure and computing power for the Netherlands will be published in early 2027. The government also aims to remove barriers that prevent SMEs from using AI. Within the public sector, successful applications are being made more widely available, and the government is increasing its use of joint procurement. This means that not every organisation has to reinvent the wheel itself.
In addition, the Government wants the Netherlands to retain access to the best AI technology and to be better protected against growing security risks. AI makes cyber-attacks more sophisticated and can be misused for purposes such as disinformation and influence operations. The government also wishes to prevent us from becoming too dependent on a small number of foreign companies for crucial technology. It therefore intends to determine which technology and infrastructure the Netherlands and Europe must develop in-house, and where cooperation with reliable international partners is sufficient. The government is also investigating the possible establishment of a Dutch AI security institute, which could help to identify and address new risks in a timely manner.
Finally, the Government wants people to retain control over the impact of AI on their lives and to steer the AI transition in line with our public values. To this end, the European AI Regulation sets out requirements for safe and responsible use, and prohibits AI that poses unacceptable risks. The Government aims to help businesses and public authorities apply these rules in practice, including by providing scope for supervised experimentation with new AI applications. The government also wants people to gain a better understanding of AI and to be able to prepare for the implications for their work. In addition, the government is working with the media sector on a Media Pact, covering, amongst other things, reliable information and the use of journalistic content by AI. Citizens will also have the opportunity to have their say on the opportunities and limitations of AI in 2027 and 2028.
