Industrial Policy for Emerging Technologies: The Case of Narrow AI and the Manufacturing Value Chain as Blueprint for the Industrial Metaverse

In this paper, a qualitative model is inductively developed describing a dynamic “policy mix” -system of innovation enabling and outbalancing dimensions for the deployment of narrow artificial intelligence (AI) in the manufacturing value chain. A literature review first identifies and summarizes general policy recommendations on AI as an emerging technology presented by authors prior to this research. In the empirical part, policy dimensions and suggestions of policy remedies with a focus on the manufacturing value chain were taxonomized based on exploratory interviews with 37 international elite experts on AI across several stakeholder groups. The findings were refined in a survey with participants of the workshop “AI in Manufacturing” organized by the European Commission. The dimensions build the foundation for an industrial policy in the form of a “four-wing industrial policy system model” that can unleash the value of narrow AI in the manufacturing value chain and addresses barriers to scale-up. It represents a qualitative modelling approach and confirms previous views in the literature that innovation policies need to be thought as “policy mix” and systems. A case study of the European Union’s policy mix for AI validates the model empirically based on additional interviews with ten European civil servants.