Digital Transformation
Researcher explores street mobility solutions JRC Ispra site (Italy)
In April 2024, the European Centre for Algorithmic Transparency (ECAT) was established in Seville, Spain. This new JRC-supported service was set up to evaluate the risks associated with algorithms used by digital platforms and search engines. ECAT researches and promotes new practices to defend transparency and measure the impact of digital content and our ever-evolvin digital practices and behaviours.
ECAT’s core function is to provide technical assistance and guidance to comply with the Digital Services Act (DSA). This European law, which came into effect in February 2024, aims to create a safer digital space where the fundamental rights of all users are protected. The DSA is concerned with all categories of digital spaces, from social media to online marketplaces and content-sharing platforms. The legislation emphasises content moderation and algorithm transparency in Very Large Online Platforms (VLOPs) and Very Large Search Engines (VLOSEs).
excessive use of social media and mental health, particularly in young people.Many studies report the correlation between
European Digital Innovation Hubs (EDIHs) are a network of 228 hubs dedicated to bolstering the digital capabilities of SMEs, acting as a one-stop shop that offers technical assistance and training. Thanks to a strong regional presence, the network can reach and support companies and public administration throughout all EU regions. Digital Transformation Harnessing emerging technology for resilience and growth Many studies report the correlation between excessive use of social media and mental health, particularly in young people.
EDIHs have recently launched a new self-assessment tool for SMEs that measures the strengths and weaknesses of their digital transformation readiness. The Digital Transformation Assessment Tool is free to use, available in 32 languages and assesses six key criteria: digital business strategy, digital readiness, digital skills improvement, data management, automation and intelligence, and ‘green’ digitalisation.
Digital technologies have opened up a wide range of possibilities for the public sector, which can rely on those to enhance the quality, accessibility, and efficiency of public services.
The JRC has been at the forefront in researching the challenges and opportunities of the use of AI in the public sector. As part of our practical resources, we are supporting the Public Sector Tech Watch, an observatory and knowledge hub on the use of emerging technologies, with a strong focus on artificial intelligence (AI). It includes a database of use cases of emerging technologies and examples of success stories, to which public administrations across Europe are invited to contribute.
In February 2024, ECAT co-hosted the first edition of Digital Services (h)Acked. Teams of young people from across Europe met at the French Center of Expertise for Digital Transformation (PEReN). The fifty participants were challenged with diving deep into the algorithms that affect our everyday lives and footprints and come up with innovative solutions to mitigate their negative impact.
Europe Media Monitor, a high-quality, near real-time AI engine that extracts news events from publicly available news information on the internet, is key in powering security awareness and early warning systems. EIOS for example, powered by EMM, is an initiative of the World Health Organisation to use open-source intelligence for public health decision-making. The vision of EIOS is to aim for a world where threats related to health are identified and responded to so early and so rapidly that they have zero impact on lives and livelihoods. 27 organisations like the ECDC, UNICEF and MSF, and health organisations from 94 countries are now part of the EIOS community, for a total of about 4 600 users around the world. EMM is also an important partner of the African Union, providing a near real-time early warning system on crisis and disasters.
