科技 | 追赶中美，欧盟放眼人工智能

人工智能无疑是当前科技界和产业界共同追捧的热点，而在中美人工智能技术日益成熟、领跑全球的环境下，欧洲各个国家也迫不及待想赶上中美两国在人工智能领域的步伐。最近，欧盟委员会（European Commission）就发布了一项关于欧洲人工智能战略规划的文件，对人工智能前沿领域的研究提供了设想，一方面旨在促进人工智能产业的发展，另一方面也希望平息民众对于人工智能可能导致失业的担忧。欧委会希望通过再次加强对数字技能的关注，来帮助欧洲公民适应新的经济形势。但由于整个欧洲大陆的公司采用数字技术的进度缓慢，面对当前的形势，他们仍面临着不小的挑战，如缺乏技术人才、面临高昂投资和难以预估经济回报等。不过，欧盟已经开始加大投资预算，并采取全新的策略，以应对中国等国在物联网与人工智能领域取得的领先地位。

本篇课程首发于2018年4月27日

难度系数：★★★☆☆
无用系数：★★☆☆☆

The middle way: Europe's AI strategy

① There are two global hotspots in the development of artificial intelligence: Silicon Valley and China.

hotspot /ˈhɒtspɒt/: n. 热点（区域）

② Today, the European Commission will lay out its plan to catch up, publishing a document outlining its long-term AI strategy.

lay out: 设计；布置；安排
outline /ˈaʊtlʌɪn/: vt. 概述；提出……的纲要

③ It casts Europe as a middle ground, with a stance somewhere between the state-backed firms of China and America's data-rich tech outfits, such as Google.

cast A as B: 赋予 A 以 B 的角色
cast /kɑːst/: n. 卡司
casting director: 选角导演
stance /stans, stɑːns/: n. 立场
-backed: 由……支持的
-rich: 在……方面很丰富的
outfit /ˈaʊtfɪt/: n. 公司；（为特定场合或活动而穿的）全套服装

④ The plan emphasises digital rights and ethics—the commission promises an ethics charter next year, and a global push for co-operation on standards co-ordinated through bodies such as the UN and the OECD.

ethic /ˈɛθɪk/: n. 伦理；道德规范
charter /ˈtʃɑːtə/: n. 宪章
push /pʊʃ/: n./vi. 推动
push for sth. to be done: 推动某事达成
push sb. to do sth.: 推动某人做某事
push forward: 推动……的进展
push ahead (with): 坚持……行动/计划
co-operation /koʊˌɑpəˈreɪʃ(ə)n/: n. 合作
co-ordinate /koʊˈɔrdəˌneɪt/: vt. 协调
body /ˈbɑdi/: n. 组织；机构
head /hɛd/: n. 领导

⑤ It also commits to spending €110m ($134m) to set up repositories of data and algorithms available to smallish firms getting started in AI.

commit to doing sth. /kəˈmɪt/: 承诺/致力于……
repository /rɪˈpɑzəˌtɔri/: n. 仓库；宝库；存放处
algorithm /ˈalɡərɪð(ə)m/: n. 算法
smallish /ˈsmɔːlɪʃ/: adj. 有点小的
greenish /ˈɡrinɪʃ/: adj. 微绿的；带点绿色的
yellowish /ˈjeləʊɪʃ/: adj. 微黄的；带点黄色的

⑥ In total, the commission will put forward €14bn in its next budget to support research and development in AI.

in total: 合计；总计
put forward: 优先安排；提出（想法/建议/安排）

⑦ Judiciously spent, that could go some way towards creating a third hotspot for the technology.

judiciously /dʒuːˈdɪʃəsli/: adv. 明智地；审慎地
go some way towards: 距离……更近

▍补充

1. -rich
   Watching drama is an emotion-rich experience.

2. push
   The government vows to push forward economic reform.
   push ahead with economic reform

3. European Commission: 欧盟委员会

4. OECD: Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development（欧洲）经济合作与发展组织