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Meta’s open-source Canopy Height Maps helped the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre improve its 2020 Global Forest Cover map, demonstrating how artificial intelligence can strengthen Europe’s ability to monitor forests and advance climate and biodiversity goals. Developed with the World Resources Institute, the maps use Meta’s DINO self-supervised computer vision model to estimate tree height from satellite imagery. This helped researchers apply the five-metre threshold used in many international forest definitions and better distinguish forests from other tree-covered land, including agricultural tree crops. The resulting product, available through the EU Forest Observatory, provides one of the most comprehensive open views of global forest cover. Read more on Invested in Europe.

Pfizer selected Denmark as the site of the largest vaccine registry study ever undertaken, demonstrating how Europe can attract world-leading life sciences investment when the right conditions are in place. Beginning in 2024, Pfizer partnered with researchers at the Center for Translational Cardiology and Pragmatic Randomized Trials at Herlev-Gentofte Hospital in Copenhagen to assess whether its respiratory syncytial virus vaccine could reduce hospitalisations in adults. Denmark’s innovation-friendly environment, national digital mailbox eBoks and world-class health registries enabled researchers to invite almost the entire adult population to take part, helping recruit more than 500,000 participants. Study materials were made available online, allowing participants to provide informed consent from home, while health registries supported comprehensive tracking and analysis. This milestone shows how strong public-private collaboration and a supportive policy framework can help Europe deliver clinical research at scale and improve health outcomes for citizens. Read the full story on Invested in Europe. 

How can Europe strengthen its digital resilience while remaining open to the partnerships that drive AI innovation? On Wednesday, 17 June, Malte Lohan, CEO, AmCham EU, addressed this at a conference organised by the Cypriot Presidency of the Council of the EU in Nicosia, Cyprus. Discussions focused on how Europe can build a more resilient digital ecosystem while remaining an attractive destination for investment and innovation. Mr Lohan underlined that secure supply chains and trusted partnerships are essential to Europe’s AI competitiveness. He also highlighted the role of US businesses as committed partners in helping Europe build and compete globally, while stressing the need for balanced policies that strengthen resilience and give companies the confidence to invest in Europe.