Towards a European AI Ethics Culture: ECON’s Proposal for Responsible Use of AI in EU Project Design

The rapid emergence of generative artificial intelligence is reshaping the way European projects are conceived, drafted and refined. University departments, public authorities, research centres and civil-society organisations are increasingly relying on digital tools to support the design of proposals submitted under programmes such as Erasmus+, Horizon Europe, Creative Europe and CERV.

This shift touches not only workflows, but also the values and forms of responsibility that underpin collaboration in Europe.

Against this backdrop, ECON presents a proposal rooted in the experience and research developed within academia. The reflections offered here originate from the final project work of the Master in AI and Ethical Intelligence, discussed by Ines Caloisi, founder of ECON, at the University of Turin. 

The work analyses the ethical, legal and operational implications of using generative AI in the field of EU project design, and provides a structured framework that ECON now brings to the wider European cooperation community.

Why this topic matters now?

The European Union has created a robust normative environment on the ethics of AI. The Ethics Guidelines for Trustworthy AI (2019), the recent AI Act, and the Living Guidelines on the Responsible Use of Generative AI in Research form a coherent reference system.

However, organisations involved in writing and managing EU-funded projects still lack practical standards tailored to their specific needs.

As the project work demonstrates, this gap leads to several challenges:

• difficulties in documenting and attributing authorship when AI tools contribute to drafting;
• the presence of linguistic or cultural bias in narratives;
• the risk of exposing personal or sensitive data through careless prompting;
• inconsistencies between partners in how they manage AI-supported processes;
• limited ability to demonstrate transparent quality control to evaluators.  

For ECON, addressing these challenges is a necessary step to preserve the credibility and integrity of European cooperation.

ECON’s proposal: a practical and ethical approach

The model elaborated in the project work and further developed by ECON is built around three complementary components.

1. Operational guidelines for responsible AI use

The guidelines translate key ethical principles into everyday practices. They encourage transparency, careful data management, inclusive and balanced language, respect for intellectual property, and continuous learning.

They also introduce practical tools such as:

• an AI Contribution Statement, clarifying how AI was used in preparing a proposal;
• a Prompt Logbook, recording essential interactions with AI systems;
• ethical and quality checklists to support authors in reviewing drafts.  

These tools help project designers maintain control of the writing process and safeguard the credibility of the final output.

2. A governance model for consortia

Responsible AI use requires organisational structures, not just individual awareness. ECON proposes:

• the appointment of an AI & Ethics Focal Point within each consortium;
• a set of Operational Minimum Requirements (ROM) to guide decision-making;
• a risk classification scale that differentiates between low-risk uses (e.g., translations) and high-risk ones (e.g., drafting methodological sections);
• periodic internal reviews, ensuring that procedures evolve alongside technological and regulatory developments.  

This governance model is intended to be simple, adaptable, and respectful of the diversity of European partnerships.

3. A broader cultural shift

Beyond compliance, ECON’s proposal invites organisations to reflect on the cultural implications of AI use.

Generative AI can make project design more efficient and accessible, but it must remain a tool guided by human judgement, not a substitute for it.

The approach advocated by ECON encourages:

• stronger cooperation between partners;
• transparent authorship practices;
• improved quality through structured supervision;
• alignment with European values centred on accountability, fairness and human oversight.

Over time, this may contribute to shared European standards in AI-assisted project design. 

ECON’s role and commitment

By bringing this proposal to the attention of the broader community, ECON positions itself as a network committed to shaping the future of ethical AI use in project design.

In practical terms, ECON aims to:

• develop training pathways on ethical and responsible AI;
• support partners in applying the governance model;
• test the proposed framework in ongoing and upcoming projects;
• contribute to policy discussions on the role of AI in European cooperation

Conclusion

As generative AI becomes part of everyday work, project designers and institutions must decide how to integrate it without compromising transparency, trust, or the human dimension of collaborative work.

The research developed within the Master at the University of Turin, together with ECON’s practical experience, offers a clear direction: AI should be used in a way that strengthens cooperation, safeguards rights, and reflects the values on which European integration is built.

This article is an invitation to join a shared effort: building a European AI ethics culture that supports quality, innovation and public trust in EU-funded projects.