Project description
Novel scaleable hybrid AI skills for the European retail
Advances in technology, methodologies, retailer practices and consumer behaviours since the COVID pandemic have compelled retailers to adopt a digital transition to remain competitive. However, European micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) have been slow to embrace this transition, with fewer than 75 % of companies in Europe incorporating widely utilised AI technology. A hindrance to this shift is the lack of a qualified and skilled workforce. The EU-funded INAIR project seeks to address this challenge by creating an innovative skills development program focused on scaleable hybrid AI skills. Through comprehensive testing and the identification of skill gaps and needs, the project aims to finalise and offer its programme to assist retailers in overcoming the barriers to AI adoption and fostering a digitally savvy workforce.
Objective
Technological advancements and changes in consumer behaviours after COVID-19 require retailers to accelerate their digital transformation to deliver differentiated consumer experiences and interactions. Nevertheless, the adoption rate of key digital technologies, such as AI, by MSMEs remains significantly low in the EU (DESI 2022), positioning the Union far from the Digital Decade target of 75%+ European companies adopting AI technologies by 2030. In most of the countries represented in the consortium, the AI adoption rate does not even reach the EU average. The European wholesale and retail trade sector is the 3rd to last in the EU regarding the adoption rate of AI technologies. A lack of a skilled workforce to adopt the integration of AI in retail hinders not only market growth in the EU and represents a significant risk for European SMEs of falling behind their global competitors and missing out on significant opportunities for growth and efficiency, and for making companies greener. In this context, the INAIR project proposal aims to reduce the AI skills gap of European MSMEs in Retail, to let them exploit the potential of AI for greening their businesses, support their competitiveness in the global market and ultimately contribute to reaching the digital decade target of 75%+ European companies adopting AI technologies by 2030. To achieve its aim, over 30 months, the consortium will:
-Identify AI skills needs and gaps for MSMEs in retail in CY, DE, IT, PL and RO;
-Devise, test and implement a scalable hybrid AI skills development program to re-/up-skill at least 150 owners and employees of MSMEs working in retail;
-Develop teaching and training resources to support VET providers in integrating the project resources and tools into their work.
Key results: AI Skill Needs & Gaps Analysis in retail; AI Core Curriculum, Skills Assessment Tool and Open Educational Resources for workers and owners of micro, small and medium-sized retailers; eLearning Environment.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
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CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
This project's classification has been validated by the project's team.
Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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HORIZON.2.4 - Digital, Industry and Space
MAIN PROGRAMME
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Topic(s)
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Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
HORIZON-CSA - HORIZON Coordination and Support Actions
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Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) HORIZON-CL4-2023-HUMAN-01
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
81100 CASERTA
Italy
The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.