BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 24. Serbia is positioning itself as a regional leader in artificial intelligence, with strong government support and ambitious projects underway, said Serbia’s Minister for Family Care and Demography, Jelena Žarić Kovačević, at the international conference “SOCGOV 2025: Artificial Intelligence for Humanity and Transformation”, held in Baku, Trend reports.
Žarić Kovačević highlighted that Serbia has been actively developing its AI ecosystem, presenting a new 2030 national AI strategy and planning an 80 million euros investment to implement AI solutions in the public sector while creating competitive AI regulations. She emphasized that the government is committed to leading the region through AI-driven transformation and creating new opportunities for all citizens.
The minister outlined Serbia’s AI roadmap, noting milestones such as the adoption of the first national AI strategy in South-East Europe in 2017, the opening of three new science and technology parks in 2020, the establishment of the AI Development Institute, and the adoption of ethical guidelines for AI. Serbia is currently finalizing its AI legislation and plans to implement the third phase of its national supercomputer project by late 2025 or early 2026.
Several government initiatives support AI development, including the creation of an AI institute and an innovation and science fund. According to the government’s AI readiness index, Serbia ranks highest among South-East European countries. In 2022, Serbia joined the Global Partnership on AI as one of 44 member countries, serving as chair in 2025 and co-chair in 2026. Belgrade hosted the ministerial summit in 2024, which focused on responsible AI development and its societal benefits, and led to the adoption of the Belgrade ministerial declaration, subsequently accepted by the European Commission.
Serbia’s AI infrastructure includes the national supercomputing platform, with the first supercomputer purchased in 2021 and made freely available to universities, research institutes, and startups. The government is investing in the next-generation supercomputer with a 50 million euros budget, under a bilateral agreement with France, and participates in the European High-Performance Computing Joint Undertaking.
Žarić Kovačević also discussed AI integration in the public sector, including the implementation of an e-government chatbot on the Rasa platform and upcoming AI applications for the Pension and Disability Insurance Fund to improve communication and speed up document processing. AI initiatives in healthcare, such as an AI-powered mammography application hosted in the state data centre, have accelerated diagnostics. Additionally, the Ministry for Family Care and Demography launched a digital assistant chatbot in June to guide citizens through alimony fund procedures, providing 24/7 support in plain language.
Concluding her presentation, Žarić Kovačević emphasized that digital transformation requires strong government support, a legal and strategic framework, quality infrastructure, and robust data resources. She noted that AI can greatly enhance public administration efficiency, transparency, and service quality, while responsible use ensures that AI and humans together make the best decisions.