New approaches for decentralized, federated and sustainable AI data processing (RIA)

Expected Outcome:

Project results are expected to contribute to developing new approaches, tools and techniques that overcome the obstacles of today's centralised AI compute techniques: limits in the availability of energy and AI compute capacity in centralised standalone environments, limited availability of types of AI chips, data quality and security and latency in AI data processing. The ultimate objective is to help overcome EU’s AI compute capacity bottlenecks by offering alternative decentralised and sustainable AI compute models that enable exploitation of diverse hardware processing architectures and scaling approaches.

Scope:

This topic focusses on technologies and techniques that enable AI data processing to leverage distributed compute resources across the cloud and edge computing continuum throughout the whole AI model lifecycle from data collection, training, fine-tuning, and deployment. To overpass today’s state of the art in the area, the considered research areas include:

• To research on distributed, decentralised, and federated “compute continuum” enabled AI architectures beyond federated learning and integrating model compression tools and new mechanisms to enable AI data processing to scale across multiple and diverse computing infrastructures.
• Development, deployment, and operation of AI workflows across heterogeneous and distributed infrastructures along the compute continuum (edge, cloud, HPC), including the possibility of incorporating innovative computing paradigms (neuromorphic and quantum computing) and hardware efficiency enhancements ((e.g., including in-memory computing, and hardware and software approximation).
• Novel methods and techniques to improve data availability and consistency for decentralised AI data processing. These consider tools to ensure data quality (e.g. prevention of data sets imbalance or inconsistency across distributed data sources), volume optimisation for data transfers across environments, and distributed data management, all while preserving data privacy and preventing data leaks (e.g. via advanced cryptographic protection such as post-quantum cryptography for resistance to emerging quantum threats).
• New tools and mechanisms to measure, monitor and improve end-to-end energy efficiency and sustainability of AI data processing across the compute continuum, including the exploration of energy and sustainability implications of the heterogeneous AI processing architectures and their impact in the compute infrastructure design and long-term sustainability.

Successful project proposals should showcase proposed developments in at least two complementary use cases in different domains. These use cases should demonstrate the value gained and potential impact of project achievements in real-world situations, as well as address key applications and sectors critical to Europe's competitiveness. Use cases should provide compelling examples and scenarios and cater for the reproducibility of results' added value and impact in additional economic sectors. Technology Readiness Level - Technology readiness level expected from completed projects Activities are expected to start at TRL 3 and achieve TRL 6-7 by the end of the project – see General Annex B.

Submissions open on 17 November 2026.

Part of call HORIZON-CL4-2027-04

Type of action: HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions

Programme period: 2021 - 2027

Priorities: AI, DigitalAgenda

"> General conditions

1. Admissibility Conditions: Proposal page limit and layout

described in Annex A and Annex E of the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes.

Proposal page limits and layout: described in Part B of the Application Form available in the Submission System.

2. Eligible Countries

described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes. A number of non-EU/non-Associated Countries that are not automatically eligible for funding have made specific provisions for making funding available for their participants in Horizon Europe projects. See the information in the Horizon Europe Programme Guide .

3. Other Eligible Conditions

In order to achieve the expected outcomes, and safeguard the Union’s strategic assets, interests, autonomy, and security, it is important to avoid a situation of technological dependency on a non-EU source, in a global context that requires the EU to take action to build on its strengths, and to carefully assess and address any strategic weaknesses, vulnerabilities and high-risk dependencies which put at risk the attainment of its ambitions. For this reason, participation is limited to legal entities established in Member States, Iceland and Norway and the following additional associated countries: Canada, Israel, Republic of Korea, New Zealand, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. In addition, entities established in third countries which may become associated to Horizon Europe during 2026 and 2027 may be eligible to par