AI Albania at the 11th European AI Forum and Digital Summit in Gdańsk

AI Albania took part in the 11th edition of the European AI Forum (EAIF) on 16 June 2025 in Gdańsk, Poland, and continued its engagement at the Digital Summit that followed. Held during the Polish Presidency of the Council of the European Union, the events brought together key actors working on Europe’s digital and AI future.

A forum shaping Europe’s AI agenda

Organised with 14 national AI associations across the EU and held alongside the Digital Summit, the European AI Forum gathered:

Ministers and decision makers from Poland, Lithuania, and the Czech Republic
Entrepreneurs, SMEs, corporates, and researchers
Organisations leading work on AI policy and practice in Europe

Topics included:

The EU AI Act and regulation that supports responsible progress
Human centred approaches to AI
The role of national ecosystems, with a strong focus on Poland’s AI sector

Marjana Prifti Skënduli, founder and CEO of AI Albania, presented Albania’s perspective on AI development, alongside other country cases such as Georgia. Her contribution highlighted the opportunities and constraints of smaller ecosystems and the need for tailored support rather than one size fits all approaches.

Founder and CEO contributions at the Digital Summit

At the Digital Summit in Gdańsk, a key component of the Polish EU Presidency, AI Albania’s presence continued beyond EAIF.

As a panelist on “Quantum Applications for the Economy,” the founder and CEO brought in the Western Balkans view on emerging technologies and their role in future growth.
The discussion stressed the need for strategic use of quantum and advanced computing in support of real economic outcomes, not just research milestones.
During the summit, a meeting with Lucilla Sioli, AI Office Director at the European Commission, created space to exchange views on a connected European AI future. The conversation focused on how countries like Albania can contribute to and benefit from shared European efforts.

These engagements supported AI Albania’s mission to:

Strengthen Albania’s digital sovereignty through strategic AI development
Deepen cooperation between business, academia, and public administration
Advance public and business understanding of AI
Represent the Albanian AI sector in Brussels and on the international stage
Support ethical guidelines, standards, and skills in AI
Promote Albanian projects and talent in global markets

The combined experience of EAIF and the Digital Summit added new momentum to AI Albania’s work at European level.