National AI Centre of Latvia Announces Call for Projects

The Artificial Intelligence Centre (AIC) announces a call for projects to participate in the special regulatory environment, or sandbox, for the development of artificial intelligence systems. The aim of the call is to select projects that require the development and improvement of AI solutions in a controlled and supervised environment, while also addressing compliance, safety, and regulatory issues.

The special regulatory environment is one of the AIC’s central instruments for promoting the development of safe, responsible, and practically applicable artificial intelligence solutions in Latvia. During the selection process, projects will be assessed based on innovation, contribution to digital transformation goals, technical readiness, qualification as a high-risk AI system as an advantage, and justification for the need to use the regulatory sandbox.

Guna Puce, Director of the AI Centre:
“With this call, we are taking a practical step towards promoting the responsible development of artificial intelligence solutions in Latvia. The special regulatory environment helps project implementers identify compliance and safety issues at an early stage, while maintaining the pace of innovation.”

Raimonds Čudars, Minister for Smart Administration and Regional Development:
“In the development of artificial intelligence, a clear and strong legal framework alone is not enough. It is equally important to provide an environment that supports innovators and encourages the practical testing of new solutions. The special regulatory environment will allow businesses and researchers to test their AI solutions in a safe and supervised environment, while receiving support from competent authorities. This gives Latvian companies the opportunity to develop competitive, trustworthy, and market-ready AI solutions, strengthening both our economy and the country’s ability to use the benefits offered by artificial intelligence in various fields, such as education, healthcare, and security.”

Viktors Valainis, Minister of Economics:
“Society has high expectations for the Artificial Intelligence Centre – it expects initiatives in digital education, innovative approaches in the field of defence, and solutions in healthcare. However, even the best ideas have no value if they remain only at the conceptual stage. What is needed most is for these expectations to be quickly and purposefully turned into action: the Centre must show the way through specific, practical pilot projects that demonstrate the safety of technologies, compliance with regulation, and real added value in everyday life. It is precisely practical testing that makes it possible to identify technical and ethical challenges at an early stage, develop evidence-based standards and procedures, and provide a strong basis for scaling and commercialisation. Therefore, I encourage sectoral partners to use this opportunity by submitting proposals, and support institutions to help create practical pilot projects that not only talk about opportunities, but demonstrate concrete, measurable results because real action speaks louder than words.”

In addition to the call, on 17 March 2026 the AIC will organise an information day titled “Special Regulatory Environment or Sandbox: From Idea to Application”, where interested participants will be able to learn more about the regulations, selection criteria, and practical aspects of preparing an application.

Contact information for questions: info@ailatvia.lv