On November 13, 2025, CERN’s Enlarged Directorate formally approved a comprehensive, Organization-wide Artificial Intelligence (AI) strategy, consolidating numerous pre-existing initiatives across all sectors. This strategy establishes guiding principles and a future vision centered around four core goals: advancing scientific discovery, improving productivity and reliability, fostering talent development, and enabling scalable AI implementation through strategic partnerships. Recognizing AI’s now-fundamental role—having transformed particle physics analyses and permeated operational functions—the plan aims to unify sector-specific implementations, promote shared tools and experiences, and secure collaborative funding via programs like the EU, ensuring CERN can leverage AI for current and future accelerator projects, including the HL-LHC.
AI’s Transformation of Particle Physics
Artificial intelligence has moved beyond experimental status to become utterly critical for modern particle physics. Thirty years ago, initial forays using neural networks, while promising, faced skepticism. Today, machine learning techniques are integral to data analysis at facilities like CERN, impacting everything from event reconstruction to signal identification within the massive datasets produced by experiments. This isn’t simply automation; AI algorithms now routinely outperform traditional methods in tasks like identifying rare particle decays, increasing measurement precision by factors of up to 10x.
CERN recently formalized this reliance with a comprehensive, organization-wide AI strategy. This initiative aims to unify disparate AI applications – spanning research, operations, and administration – under shared principles of responsible and impactful use. The strategy focuses on four key goals: accelerating scientific discovery, boosting productivity and reliability, talent development, and enabling scalable AI through partnerships. Crucially, this isn’t about replacing human scientists, but augmenting their abilities to process the exabyte-scale data expected from the High-Luminosity LHC (HL-LHC) and future accelerators.
The implications extend beyond immediate research gains. CERN’s new strategy emphasizes collaborative development with member states, EU programs, and industry partners to secure funding and infrastructure for advanced AI capabilities. This push for “AI at scale” will facilitate intelligent automation, data-driven decision-making, and computational insights essential for future experiments. Ultimately, the organization views AI not as a peripheral tool, but as a fundamental driver of progress in
CERN’s New Organization-Wide AI Strategy
CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research, recently approved a comprehensive, organization-wide Artificial Intelligence (AI) strategy. This wasn’t a sudden shift; AI, initially explored in experiments like L3 three decades ago using neural networks, has become integral to particle physics analysis. Today, machine learning permeates all CERN sectors—from core research to operational efficiency. The new strategy formalizes this reliance, acknowledging AI is no longer optional, but essential for CERN’s continued success.
The strategy centers around four key goals: advancing scientific discovery, boosting productivity & reliability, attracting & retaining talent, and enabling AI scalability through partnerships. This isn’t just about deploying algorithms; it’s about a cohesive approach leveraging common tools and shared experiences across research, operations, and administration. Crucially, CERN intends to collaborate with EU programs, member states, and industry to accelerate capacity building and secure necessary funding for AI infrastructure.
Looking ahead, CERN anticipates increasingly sophisticated AI applications will be critical for projects like the High-Luminosity LHC and future accelerator technologies. The organization envisions reliance on intelligent automation, data-driven decision-making, and scalable computational insights. This strategic imperative signals a fundamental shift: AI is no longer simply supporting scientific endeavors, but actively reshaping how science is conducted at CERN, and beyond.
Future Applications and Strategic Implementation
CERN’s newly approved AI strategy isn’t simply adopting a technology—it’s a fundamental shift in how the organization approaches its mission. Built upon existing initiatives, the strategy prioritizes four core goals: accelerating scientific discovery, boosting operational efficiency, cultivating talent, and maximizing societal impact. This unified approach is crucial; while applications vary across research, operations, and administration, shared tools and knowledge – particularly as data volumes from the HL-LHC increase exponentially – will deliver substantial returns.
The strategy directly addresses the escalating demands of future projects. From the High-Luminosity LHC onward, intelligent automation and data-driven decision-making are no longer optional. CERN anticipates relying heavily on AI for tasks like optimizing detector performance, rapidly analyzing petabytes of collision data, and proactively identifying potential system failures. Strategic partnerships with EU programs and industry are essential to secure necessary funding and build computational infrastructure capable of handling these workloads.
Crucially, CERN’s AI implementation isn’t siloed. The strategy emphasizes responsible and open AI use, aiming to attract and retain skilled personnel while contributing positively to society. This includes fostering collaboration with member states and prioritizing ethical considerations. By unifying previously disparate AI efforts—from machine learning in physics analyses to automated administrative processes—CERN aims to establish itself as a leader in responsible AI innovation within the scientific community.
