The Czech AI Factory is being established as the Czech node of the European network of AI Factories being built as part of the EuroHPC JU joint undertaking. The project will connect the newly acquired KarolAI supercomputer—optimized for artificial intelligence—with a comprehensive portfolio of AI services, data tools, and expert support. The goal is to enable Czech companies, startups, public administration, and research institutions to access cutting-edge AI infrastructure without the need to build their own extensive computing facilities.
The Faculty of Electrical Engineering (FEE) at the Czech Technical University (ČVUT) plays a significant role in the project, serving as the guarantor for the areas of public administration and cybersecurity. “In the coming years, public administration and cybersecurity will become increasingly dependent on the ability to use AI safely and effectively. CZAI will provide the infrastructure and expert support needed to develop trustworthy AI solutions in compliance with European legislation,” emphasized Assoc. Prof. Viliam Lisý from the Department of Computer Science at FEE CTU, who serves as the guarantor for these areas.
Another key partner in the project is CIIRC CTU, which will develop AI services for industry and advanced manufacturing and link the project with industrial testbeds and applied research. “The true value of the Czech AI Factory lies not only in its unique supercomputing capacity, but in the people who understand both artificial intelligence and the specific sector in which it is to be deployed. We have been building this combination at CIIRC CTU for a long time across industry, healthcare, energy, transportation, and public administration—and now we are bringing it to this national initiative at the European level,” said Petr Kadera, head of the Intelligent Systems for Industry Department at CIIRC CTU and the lead for service development in the field of industry and advanced manufacturing.
It is precisely this integration of cutting-edge infrastructure with application know-how that is intended to be one of the project’s main benefits. The Czech AI Factory will focus on the fields of industry, healthcare, energy, future mobility, cybersecurity, and public administration. It will offer users not only computing power but also expert support, AI solution testing, data processing, and educational programs.
In addition to CTU, other leading Czech universities and research organizations are also involved in the project. The project is coordinated by the IT4Innovations National Supercomputing Center at VŠB – Technical University of Ostrava. Other partners include the Faculty of Mathematics and Physics at Charles University, the Brno University of Technology, the Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences, and the International Neurodegenerative Disorders Research Center.
Half of the project’s funding is provided by the European joint undertaking EuroHPC JU, and the other half by the Czech Republic through the Ministry of Education, Youth, and Sports. CZAI will be closely linked to the European network of AI Factories and aims to strengthen Europe’s technological sovereignty in the field of artificial intelligence.
The FEE CTU’s involvement in the Czech AI Factory builds on the faculty’s other strategic activities in the field of digital technologies and AI infrastructure, which include, for example, the development of the National Center for Artificial Intelligence and long-term collaboration with industrial and international partners in the field of chip technologies and artificial intelligence.
