What exactly is Czech AI Factory?

Czech AI Factory is not just another supercomputer on the list of European centers. It is a comprehensive ecosystem that connects computing power, data, experts, and application know-how into one functional unit. The project is being created as the Czech node of the European AI Factories network built under the pan-European joint undertaking EuroHPC JU.

While increasingly sophisticated AI models are being developed in laboratories, the path to their practical deployment is often complex. The gap between an experiment and a reliable solution in manufacturing, a hospital, or a distribution network is bridged by deep knowledge of the specific field — its data, processes, regulations, and operational conditions. It is this combination that the organizers of Czech AI Factory see as the main added value.

Who is behind the project and how much does it cost?

The total budget of the project reaches nearly 1 billion Czech crowns (40 million euros). Funding is split equally: half is provided by EuroHPC JU, and the other half by the Czech Republic through the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports.

The coordinator of Czech AI Factory is VŠB – Technical University of Ostrava (VŠB-TUO) and its national supercomputing center IT4Innovations, which has long been operating Czech supercomputing infrastructure and is also involved in other European EuroHPC JU projects, including the Finnish LUMI AI Factory.

Six leading Czech institutions are involved in the project:

• CIIRC CTU — development of AI services, collaboration with industrial testbeds
• FEL CTU — public administration and cybersecurity
• INDRC — technology transfer, entrepreneurship, ethics, and training
• Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, Charles University — language, multimodal, and other AI models
• BUT in Brno — speech processing, cybersecurity, mobility, medical applications
• IOCBA CAS — AI services for healthcare and life sciences

The KarolAIna supercomputer and what it can do

The most important technical component of the project is the new supercomputer KarolAIna, optimized specifically for artificial intelligence. Roughly half of the total budget will go toward its acquisition and operation. The remaining funds will be used for providing services to Czech AI Factory clients.

KarolAIna will complement the existing IT4Innovations supercomputing infrastructure and provide Czech organizations with access to top-tier computing capacities that are essential for training large language models, image processing, simulations, or generative AI development.

First concrete result: AI voicebot for the 112 emergency line

During the ceremonial launch, one of the first practical outputs was presented. IT4Innovations and BUT in Brno are jointly developing an AI voicebot for the 112 emergency line of the Fire Rescue Service of the Olomouc Region.

The system can automatically communicate with callers, obtain basic information about an emergency, and pass it on to operators of the integrated rescue system. The technology is already being tested in the real environment of the 112 line, and within the Czech AI Factory, its further development is planned using advanced language models, voice technologies, and supercomputing capacities.

Which areas does CZAI focus on?

Czech AI Factory covers six key sectors with high societal and economic impact:

Industry and advanced manufacturing. CZAI will enable the connection of AI with real production processes, data, and industrial testbeds. Companies will thus be able to use advanced AI tools without the need to build their own extensive infrastructure.

Healthcare and life sciences. Extensive biological and medical datasets will enable faster development of AI models for diagnosis, personalized medicine, or research into new treatments. Advanced tools for intelligent search and knowledge linking using RAG and Knowledge Graph will also be available.

Energy and sustainability. The combination of AI and supercomputing will help optimize renewable sources, manage energy grids, or perform predictive maintenance of equipment.

Public administration and cybersecurity. CZAI will offer infrastructure and expert background for developing trustworthy AI solutions in compliance with European legislation, including the future AI Act.

Mobility of the future. The project will help create AI solutions for logistics, traffic management, and intelligent mobile systems.

Why does the Czech Republic need this?

Europe is currently racing with the USA and China for technological sovereignty in the field of artificial intelligence. Without its own computing capacities and expert background, European companies and researchers remain dependent on foreign cloud services, which brings risks related to data protection, supply chains, and pricing policy.

"Czech AI Factory represents a crucial step for the Czech Republic to become an active part of the European infrastructure for next-generation artificial intelligence," said Vít Vondrák, director of IT4Innovations and project coordinator. "Thanks to connection with the European AI Factories network and EuroHPC JU supercomputers, Czech organizations will gain access to top AI infrastructure and the opportunity to participate in building a technologically sovereign and trustworthy European AI."

Government Commissioner for Artificial Intelligence Lukáš Kačena from the Ministry of Industry and Trade added: "The development of artificial intelligence and high-performance computing is one of the key priorities for the competitiveness of Europe and the Czech Republic."

How to sign up for services?

Czech AI Factory will offer users a comprehensive portfolio of services: access to computing capacities optimized for AI, expert support, data services, AI solution testing, and educational programs. The project supports the entire lifecycle of artificial intelligence — from data preparation and model training to their deployment into operation.

A key element is the emphasis on trustworthy, explainable, and energy-efficient AI in line with European values and regulations. This is a crucial competitive advantage at a time when the EU is finalizing the AI Act and placing increasing emphasis on the ethical and safe use of artificial intelligence.

CZAI will cooperate closely with the EuroHPC AI Factories network and other initiatives focused on supporting the practical implementation of artificial intelligence. Czech companies, startups, and public institutions will thus gain access not only to domestic but also to European resources and expertise.