Visit of Prof. Sébastien Rumley and Prof. Jean Hennebert to Brussels

SME Connect was pleased to welcome members of its Artificial Intelligence, Data Economy and Cybersecurity Working Group, Prof. Sébastien Rumley and Prof. Jean Hennebert from the Swiss AI Center for a three-day visit to Brussels from 10 to 12 of November. The purpose of the visit was to exchange with EU policymakers, experts, and industry representatives on how Europe can advance a practical, “lean AI” approach that strengthens SME competitiveness while keeping regulation clear, proportionate, and innovation-friendly.

Over a series of meetings with Members of the European Parliament—including Axel Voss, Aura Salla, and Marion Walsmann—as well as parliamentary assistants, Commission officials, and corporate representatives, the discussions focused on how SMEs can adopt AI in realistic, business-driven ways. The Swiss AI Center presented its hands-on work with SMEs and emphasized current gaps: insufficiently adapted innovation funding, lack of legal clarity under the AI Act, and the need for better tools helping companies decide when not to invest in AI.

The concept of “lean AI”—AI that is efficient, purposeful, and aligned with SME needs—was a central theme throughout the visit. We highlighted challenges related to regulatory uncertainty, dependency on Big Tech ecosystems, and the importance of sovereign IT and open-source alternatives for both SMEs and public institutions.

Across all meetings—from the Committee of the Regions to the European Commission and industry stakeholders—the visit underlined the shared ambition of academia, policymakers, and industry to support European digital sovereignty and create a regulatory environment that empowers, rather than burdens, SMEs.

SME Connect thanks all interlocutors for their valuable insights.