Serbia’s global standing in both adopting and driving critical regulation across the AI ecosystem has grown rapidly in recent years and continues to transform our dynamic economy. In 2022, Serbia became one of just 29 member states, alongside the U.S., France, Canada, and other global leaders, to join the Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence (GPAI).
The following year Serbia assumed the role of organizational chair, gathering more than 1,500 participants, 148 delegates from over 45 countries and organizations, and more than 500 experts for a key summit. The summit concluded with the Belgrade Declaration, a pioneering document outlining key principles for the ethical and legal governance of AI systems globally. Serbia complied with these principles establishing an AI Development Strategy for 2025–2030, updating its national goals to align with global trends.
In 2022 the OECD recognized Serbia’s National AI Platform as one of the top 10 most innovative public-sector AI initiatives worldwide and country also adopted national AI ethics guidelines, emphasizing transparency, accountability, and responsible use. It is also worth noting that Serbia is among the first ten countries in the world to introduce AI into K–12 education at the national level.
Our understanding of the opportunities—and challenges—of leveraging this powerful technology was clear: to utilize AI as effectively as possible, we must advance overarching guidelines for its responsible development and implementation. We also must collectively address the implications of the transition to an AI driven economy and robotics for living standards, economic growth, education, productive human employment, and national and security—both domestically and around the globe.
Serbia’s digital economy: One of Europe’s fastest-growing tech hubs and a strong U.S. partner
The results of our commitment have had a profound impact on not only the Serbian economy but with our key strategic partners as well. Serbia’s ICT sector has become the country’s fastest-growing industry, demonstrating unprecedented expansion over the past decade. In 2024, ICT service exports reached €4.133 billion, representing a 20% increase from 2023 and a tenfold rise compared to 2012. The United States is Serbia’s largest bilateral partner in this field: in 2024, Serbian exports to the U.S. totaled €1.8 billion, with ICT services comprising the majority.
Major American tech companies—Microsoft, Rivian, NCR, IBM, Cisco, Oracle, and Epic Games—operate in Serbia not merely through sales offices but through substantial R&D operations, employing thousands of engineers and product developers. The Los Angeles-based Cosmic Buildings, headed by Serbian born CEO and Founder, Sasha Jokic, taps into AI and robotic automation to construct custom homes that are both fire-resistant and sustainable through its operations in Serbia. Such innovative solutions are critical to not only ending global housing insecurity but are essential in times of natural disaster recovery as we saw in California last year.
Next steps for AI in Serbia
Serbia continues our commitment to AI investment. We are currently investing €50 million in a new supercomputing platform, which will become the most powerful AI-focused supercomputer in Southeast Europe.
Serbia’s State Data Center in Kragujevac (one of the biggest cities in Serbia) is the most advanced data storage facility in the region and one of the most secure in Europe. It hosts the National AI Platform, which contains Serbia’s supercomputing infrastructure and provides reliable, high-security ICT capabilities. Because of its performance and security standards, the Data Center is used commercially by major U.S. companies such as Oracle and IBM. More than 40 projects have been implemented or are underway.
Ultimately, Serbia, supported by a favorable business climate and an expanding talent base, is continuing to position itself as one of the most dynamic emerging tech ecosystems in Europe. This is undoubtedly because we view AI not as an abstract technological priority but as a tool for improving daily life in real and measurable ways—enhancing energy management, optimizing transport, and enabling food security, earlier disease detection and better healthcare outcomes.
