The CERTAIN project (Certification for Ethical and Regulatory Transparency in Artificial Intelligence) has officially launched, marking a significant milestone in the effort to build trust and transparency in AI systems across Europe. Supported by the European Commission’s Horizon Europe program, CERTAIN will empower stakeholders in the AI and data value chain—data holders, dataspaces, AI system providers, and deployers—to achieve compliance with European regulations efficiently and affordably.
A Strong Start
Work on CERTAIN began on 1 January 2025, and the project consortium gathered for the official kickoff meeting in Osny, France, on 24 January 2025. Over the next three years, the CERTAIN team will develop technical tools and frameworks that support regulatory compliance, enhance data quality, measure biases, and safeguard privacy in AI systems.
Building a Foundation for AI Certification
A key focus of CERTAIN is to establish the foundation for a comprehensive AI certification ecosystem. This includes:
- Translating regulations into actionable business terms.
- Developing a platform to streamline certification processes.
- Building tools to assist both AI system providers and certification entities in preparing for and executing certifications.
These efforts will ensure AI products meet the highest standards of quality and reliability, building trust with users and stakeholders.
In addition to compliance, CERTAIN tackles the environmental footprint of AI systems. By pioneering techniques to reduce energy consumption during the development and operation of AI, the project aligns with Europe’s Green Deal and helps reduce costs for AI stakeholders.
Who’s Involved
The CERTAIN consortium unites a diverse group of leading organisations, universities, and research institutions, led by IDEMIA Public Security France. The partners are: Universite du Luxembourg, Fachhochschule St. Polten GmbH, Netcompany-Intrasoft, Univerza v Mariboru, Univerzitetni klinicni center Maribor, National Bank of Greece, EIT Digital, Charokopeio Panepistimio – Harokopio University of Athens, Tartu Ulikool – University of Tartu, NVISION Systems and Technologies SL, Burgerenergiegemeinschaft EMPOWER, Red Alert Labs, DEXAI – Etica Artificiale, INCOM Ltd., Novelcore, Anadelta Technologies, Fondation de l’Institut de Recherche Idiap, Digital for Planet.
Looking Ahead
CERTAIN will drive innovation in ethical and sustainable AI across Europe, providing businesses and organisations with the tools they need to comply with regulations, improve their AI systems, and reduce their environmental impact.
Stay tuned for updates on this exciting project as it unfolds.
