Dutch experts call for ambitious plan to dominate global artificial intelligence race
To prevent the Netherlands from falling behind in the artificial intelligence race, more than fifty Dutch experts are calling for a large-scale national “AI Delta Plan” — a strategy comparable in ambition to the Delta Works flood-protection system built after the 1953 North Sea flood.
Their proposals, set to be released Monday, include appointing a State Secretary for AI, launching flagship AI-focused research institutes, creating a city for experimenting with self-driving vehicles and delivery drones, expanding AI education, boosting AI infrastructure with more data centers and thousands of GPUs, and easing regulations for startups. The plan would require new legislation, billions of euros in annual spending, and new research institutes.
The contributors include entrepreneurs, scientists, and specialists from media and education sectors who work with AI daily, NRC reported. The plan was written at the request of caretaker Minister of Economic Affairs Vincent Karremans (VVD), who said it offers “very good, concrete points where the government can get to work.”
Experts warn the Netherlands faces a “historic decision point,” cautioning that without action, the country risks dependence on Chinese and American AI technology. “AI will be the engine of productivity, innovation, and competitiveness in every sector. The coming years will determine whether the Netherlands remains an independent player or becomes a user in someone else’s ecosystem,” they write.
The Netherlands already has key ingredients to lead in AI: ASML, top universities, and strong sectors such as high-tech, agriculture, logistics, and energy. What is missing is “a national effort focused on a shared goal,” the experts say.
They urge the cabinet to take the lead, including appointing a State Secretary for AI. Karremans supports the idea, saying it “clearly places responsibility somewhere.”
The first self-driving bus is expected on Groningen’s roads later this year. Experts want the Netherlands to lead Europe in self-driving vehicles and propose designating a city for experiments with self-driving cars and delivery drones, where technology could be tested and gradually deployed. This would require changes in law and regulation, as experiments on public roads are currently prohibited. Many American and Chinese cities already have self-driving taxis, but Europe remains cautious over safety and regulation.
Experts also stress investing in AI infrastructure. The country’s fastest computer, Snellius in Amsterdam, currently has 640 GPUs. A new 200 million euro AI factory in Groningen, with about 2,500 GPUs, is planned, and the experts call for collaboration with other European countries to build a continental AI infrastructure. They also warn that bottlenecks in the electricity grid and nitrogen policy must be resolved to allow additional AI factories.
Proposals also focus on public adoption of AI, including education programs and giving civil servants access to top AI models. Experts urge reducing financial risks for venture capital investors and pension funds seeking to invest in AI.
For startups, they recommend easing rules for dismissing highly paid employees to encourage risk-taking and attracting talent, and creating a “special economic zone” with temporary regulatory flexibility.
“If we do nothing, we will lose our competitive position. Then all our companies will use American AI models — until Trump suddenly says we can’t use them anymore,” says Michiel Bakker, AI lecturer at MIT and co-initiator of the plan with Jelle Prins, founder of Amsterdam-based AI company Cradle.
Flagship initiatives include an AI Impact Institute to consolidate research on AI’s social, economic, and security effects. The most ambitious is NADI, a Dutch research center for “impossible breakthroughs,” giving government teams budgets to achieve major societal impact within five years, even for projects currently considered technically or organizationally impossible. Examples include building a house in a few weeks to tackle the housing crisis. NADI is inspired by DARPA, the U.S. agency behind GPS, stealth aircraft, and the internet.
