Romanian Innovation Cluster built the 1st full roadmap for AI implementation

Romanian Innovation Cluster closed, on June 1st, at Marmorosch Hotel in Bucharest, its first full strategic roadmap for practical implementation of AI within Romanian companies. The effort included 2 complementary events in just 6 days: 1st official conference of the private Romanian sector at European Parliament on June 25th and AI Day Romania 2026 on July 1st. Over 120 C-level executives, entrepreneurs and company founders from Romania left home with a set plan for AI implementation within the next 30 days.

Romania is on the last place in EU in AI adoption: only 5.2% Romanian companies with over 10 employees use AI technologies, compared to an European average of 20%. At the opposite end are Denmark (42%), Finland (37.8%) and Sweden (35%), according to Eurostat data for 2025. In the same time, European AI Act has, since February 2025, active obligations for AI Literacy; on August 2nd 2026, the general sanctions regime will start producing effects.

“AI Act in Romania: From reglementation to implementation”, organized and moderated at EP by Romanian Innovation Cluster, was a historical first, the first time when the private business sector from Romania opened an official dialog on AI Act directly at the European Parliament. Florina Onețiu, President RIC, opened the event and presented the position of the private business sector in front of representatives of European Commission, European Parliament and Romanian authorities.

Victor Negrescu, VP EP, spoke about building the first AI Factory from România, an initiative that he launched personally, and send the leaders present a clear message: Romania has the talent and ecosystem, but now needs a will to transform the cooperation between main actors in clear scale action.

Brando Benifei, ex Co-Rapporteur AI Act, offered a practical implementation roadmap: what needs to be done, what is not critically needed yet, underlining that AI Act was not created to stop innovation, but to make it more sustainable.

Martin Ulbrich (DG CONNECT, European Commission) sent 3 direct messages: AI Literacy is an active obligation, AI Act Service Desk must be used by each company, and transparence in interactions with clients is mandatory. Nuno Quental (European Innovation Council) presented the European instruments for financing the companies who scale AI – EIC Accelerator for mature companies and a pre-Accelerator to be launched in 2027 or early-stages companies.

Carmen Socolovici (ANCOM) offered an honest image: the national frame for supervision is still in construction in Romania, but ANCOM already works actively with the private sector. Sophie Bonnecarrère (Uber) spoke about how 36M international daily rides are fueled by AI and about real transparence to scake. Dijana Spasojevic (KPMG) corrected a widespread confusion: compliance with AI Act is not a juridic project, it is a business transformation.

“In Bruxelles, we showed that Romanian private sector has an European voice and that we can have a dialogue at the highest level with authorities that build the AI politic. We are leaving with a clear conclusion: Romanian companies must build their AI foundation now. AI Act is active and the competitive advantage belongs to those moving first”, said Florina Onețiu, president Romanian Innovation Cluster.

AI DAY ROMANIA 2026 was built as a day of applied work for 120 Romanian leaders – CEOs, founders and executive directors from corporate and mid-market. The event was hosted by Călin Petrescu and was structured on 4 complementary pillars: legislation, strategy, operational and human.

In the legislative area, the participants worked directly with the authorities who will apply AI Act in Romania – Carmen Socolovici (ANCOM), Alina Pârâială (ADR), Dr. Carmen Elena Cîrnu (ICI București) and the lawyer Sergiu Vasilescu (VD Law), who presented the 7 mandatory documents under AI Act and the mistakes that cost the most the unprepared companies.

When it came of strategy, real implementations were presented to the audience by Ana Maria Borlovan (Uber – global AI scaling with local implementation), Anca Cîrstian (Orange – simplification & AI cross-functional in telecom), Flavia Matei (KPMG – AI integration without risk), Robert Anghel (Salt Bank – building an 100% digital bank with integrated AI) and Ștefania Budulan (Adobe – data strategy and AI Ethics).

Also in the strategy area, Florina Onețiu launched HAI Wheel™ – first frame for AI implementation developed in Romania. HAI Wheel™ is an instrument structured in 12 steps through which a CEO builts company´s AI strategy, from auditing the existent AI systems to prioritizing projects in terms of ROI, building a team, documenting conforming to AI Act and measuring results.

In the same time, Onețiu launched “Indexul OM+AI” – first measurement of the balance between human and AI within Romanian companies.

Operational part came with real numbers and cases from Romanian implementations – Flaviana Rotaru (Ro Health) on transforming regulated systems, Doru Dima (Great People Inside) and recruiting in AI era, Georgian Roșu (Pluriva) änd ERP tech fundaments, Iulian Dumitru (Brilu) on ROI from Sales & Marketing, Dr. Stefan Busnatu (UMCD) on the 5 processes where AI works already in Romanian medicine and Cristian Onețiu (Bizz OS) on AI amplified management.

The day ended with 2 panels that approached themes like “High risk industries – how to build with AI when you are not allowed to make mistakes” and “Om +AI manifesto – Leaders who build the future”.

“AI DAY confirmed exactly what we were aiming for: Romanian business leaders are ready to take action, not just to discuss about AI. We saw, in just one day, lawyers, regulators and business leaders at the same table, translating the legislation in clear steps and the strategy in measurable numbers. The 120 leaders are leaving home with a clear plan on AI, not with another list of questions”, said Florina Onețiu.

AI DAY ROMÂNIA 2026 also marked the launch of the “România AI Ready” initiative, which will culminate, in November 2026, with the publishing of a practical guide-book dedicated to the Romanian business eco-system. The volume, coordinated by Romanian Innovation Cluster, will bring together, in over 170 pages, the contributions from Romanian and European authorities, consultancies, business leaders who are already building with AI and of the OM + AI community pioneers.

The book will include the x-ray of AI adoption in Romania with primary data from RIC, translated AI Act for CEOs, implementation frame in clear steps, the 12 sectorial cronicles of digital transition, ROI calculation models, operational templates and the roadmap for the first 30, 60, 90 days of implementation. The book will be a work instrument for any business leader who wants to profit from AI revolution, not an academical reflection of that.

For 2026 – 2027, Romanian Innovation Cluster will continue the dialogue with the European and national authorities, scaling the AI Literacy for Romanian companies, launching AI in Schools program as a national pilot and organizing the second edition of AI DAY ROMÂNIA (July 2027).

Events partners were Uber, Orange, Continental, VD Law, Brilu AI, Bizzos, Life Care, My Geisha, Digitalium, Nazzuro, BizzClub.

Media partners: Revista Biz, Revista Capital, adhugger.net, bursa.ro, clubantreprenor.ro, e-femeia.ro, wall-street.ro, retail.ro, prwave.ro, ultima-ora.ro, ordineazilei.ro, romaniajournal.ro, ziarulpozitiv.ro, businesscatalog.ro, horeca.ro.