ING, KLM, NS, Phillips and food retailer Ahold Delhaize have announced the launch of Kickstart AI, a series of initiatives to promote and grow the Dutch artificial intelligence sector. By accelerating the development of new technology and supporting talent, it aims to improve education in AI, nurture the local AI community and raise the Netherlands' profile as an international hub in this growing field. The Kickstart AI programme aims to bridge the gap between the Netherlands and other countries with strong artificial intelligence industries, including China, the UK and the US. To accomplish this goal, it will bring together the Dutch government, private organisations, businesses and universities to develop investment and talent. The companies behind the programme believe it can help solve societal challenges, provide new opportunities for young people and advance the rate that different industries (including food, healthcare and finance) can use AI to improve the lives of consumers. In a statement about the launch of Kickstart AI, Maarten de Rijke, professor at the University of Amsterdam and director of the Innovation Center for Artificial Intelligence, said: "The Netherlands has always been a technological pioneer, a forerunner in the development and innovation of AI.

Five Dutch companies Ahold Delhaize, ING, KLM, NS and Philips aim to further boost the AI ecosystem in the Netherlands by accelerating and promoting the development of AI technology and nurturing AI talent in the country. This effort will add educational capacity, foster the development of the AI community in the Netherlands and reiterate the position of the Netherlands as a competitive and relevant global AI hub. The goal of Kickstart AI, is to bridge the AI gap between the Netherlands and other countries, like the UK, the US and China, that have made notable progress in this area. In order to keep the country's position as a pioneer and inventor of technologies, the Dutch government, companies, organizations and universities have ground to cover in terms of structural investments and availability of global AI talent. The five companies "kickstarting" AI are, for the first time, uniting forces in this kind of joint initiative and taking highly needed decisive action.

Five Dutch companies Ahold Delhaize, ING, KLM, NS and Philips aim to further boost the AI ecosystem in the Netherlands by accelerating and promoting the development of AI technology and nurturing AI talent in the country. This effort will add educational capacity, foster the development of the AI community in the Netherlands and reiterate the position of the Netherlands as a competitive and relevant global AI hub. The goal of Kickstart AI, is to bridge the AI gap between the Netherlands and other countries, like the UK, the US and China, that have made notable progress in this area. In order to keep the country's position as a pioneer and inventor of technologies, the Dutch government, companies, organizations and universities have ground to cover in terms of structural investments and availability of global AI talent. The five companies "kickstarting" AI are, for the first time, uniting forces in this kind of joint initiative and taking highly needed decisive action.

Amsterdam-based ING, a multinational banking and financial services corporation, has joined a group of organizations to promote the development and adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) in the Netherlands. The project is part of a nationwide plan to halt a brain drain of talented AI professionals to the US and China. The Dutch bank will co-fund five AI-focused academic positions in collaboration with several universities in the Netherlands, and help promote a national course on AI to increase awareness and adoption. Kickstart AI will be participating in a series of "super challenge" projects that address important societal issues, including healthcare and mobility. Görkem Köseoğlu, ING's chief analytics officer, stated: "For the competitiveness for Dutch companies and the Dutch education system, we are joining forces with four other large Dutch companies to not only work on supporting universities, start-ups and SMEs, but also to help raise awareness with the Dutch public about the opportunities and risks of AI."

Five Dutch companies including Ahold Delhaize, ING, KLM, NS and Philips aim to further boost the AI ecosystem in the Netherlands by accelerating and promoting the development of AI technology and nurturing AI talent in the country. This effort will add educational capacity, foster the development of the AI community in the Netherlands and reiterate the position of the Netherlands as a competitive and relevant global AI hub. The goal of Kickstart AI, is to bridge the AI gap between the Netherlands and other countries, like the UK, the US and China, that have made notable progress in this area. In order to keep the country's position as a pioneer and inventor of technologies, the Dutch government, organizations and universities have ground to cover in terms of structural investments and availability of global AI talent. The five companies "kickstarting" AI are, for the first time, uniting forces in this kind of joint initiative and taking highly needed decisive action.