European ombudsman opens probe into AI use in EU funding reviews
Allegations of unfair AI scoring have triggered the first institutional review of automated systems in high-stakes EU research and innovation funding decisions.
A formal inquiry has been opened into how AI is used in the evaluation of the EU funding proposals, marking the first investigation of its kind at the institutional level.
European Ombudsman Teresa Anjinho initiated the probe following allegations that external experts relied on AI systems when assessing applications.
Concerns emerged after a Polish company failed to secure support from the European Innovation Council Accelerator programme after submitting its bid before the November 2023 deadline. The complainant alleged that third-party AI use compromised fairness and influenced the assessment outcome.
Requests have been made for clearer governance standards, including explicit disclosure when AI systems are used in proposal reviews. Fears also emerged that sensitive commercial data could be exposed through external AI platforms.
Despite no grounds to reopen the case, a systemic probe into AI transparency and safeguards was launched. Document inspections are scheduled through March, followed by institutional meetings in April to determine whether regulatory or procedural changes are warranted.
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