The ministry’s Artificial Intelligence Fund will spend more than 4.5 billion zlotys on the development of digital technologies in Poland. This marks a four-fold increase in funding compared to the announcement made by the government in mid-November last year.

The financing will come from the Polish National Centre for Research and Development (NCBR).

“This is a huge amount of money that has already been put to work,” Krzysztof Gawkowski, deputy prime minister and minister of digital affairs, said during a press conference held on Monday.

Applications for the inaugural program aimed at large enterprises that plan to undertake extensive research, development and innovation initiatives, opened on January 10.

The program is being financed by the European Funds for Smart Economy for the period 2021-2027.

Similar projects will receive funding of 1.3 billion zlotys (€300 million).