Universities, research centres and start-ups will be able to use the “Daedalus” supercomputer free of charge, while social media platforms will be responsible for checking users’ ages. The Minister of Digital Governance, Dimitris Papastergiou, also outlined changes to driving tests and the expansion of fibre-optic networks in an interview with ERTnews.
Speaking about the “Daedalus” supercomputer, the minister highlighted its potential to support the development of artificial intelligence applications in critical areas such as health, Civil Protection, the environment and culture. He also stressed the importance of keeping data in Greece and Europe.
On protecting minors on social media, he said platforms would be responsible for checking users’ ages and for not providing services to children under 15, under the framework he outlined for the measure’s implementation from 1 January 2027.
“Daedalus”: Free access for research and innovation
Dimitris Papastergiou highlighted the importance of the “Daedalus” supercomputer for developing artificial intelligence applications and strengthening the country’s technological autonomy, as it began the process of becoming operational following its inauguration ceremony on Monday (19/10) in Lavrio.
As he explained, the growing use of artificial intelligence across a wider range of sectors requires powerful computing infrastructure.
“Countries that have such machines today have an advantage over other countries,” he said, stressing the need to strengthen Greek and European sovereignty in digital infrastructure.
The minister noted that “Daedalus” was built with European funding and that Greece was gaining infrastructure capable of supporting both model training and the running of artificial intelligence applications.
On the next steps, he said the manufacturer would spend about a month on configuration and testing, with the aim of beginning to provide production services in December, in line with the timetable he outlined.
The aim is to make the computing capacity of “Daedalus” available free of charge for at least two years, allowing universities, research centres and start-ups to carry out projects that would otherwise require significant financial resources.
Examples of potential applications cited by Papastergiou included universities developing weather models, research centres working with hospitals on medical issues, and systems to improve traffic in Athens by adjusting traffic lights.
“Artificial intelligence is an expensive business,” he said, explaining that the supercomputer could give organisations and businesses the opportunity to test and develop solutions without the high costs associated with using comparable infrastructure.
He also clarified that the system’s capacity exceeds the current and future needs of the public sector, leaving scope for the private sector to use it as well.
Focus on data security and sovereignty
The minister placed particular emphasis on managing the data used to train artificial intelligence models, noting that keeping it in Greece and Europe is linked to security and the protection of intellectual property.
“It is very important for these companies — for example, the pharmaceutical industry — to know where their data is,” he said, adding that the secure management of anonymised medical data was equally important for the country.
As he explained, models should be trained on this data using infrastructure located on Greek soil, strengthening safeguards for security and intellectual property.
Papastergiou outlined three main areas in which “Daedalus” and related infrastructure could be put to use.
The first is health, with applications that could help improve treatments, monitor patients’ progress and develop medicines.
The second is Civil Protection and the environment, through more accurate weather models and more localised forecasts for natural disasters and agricultural activities.
He noted that more accurate forecasts could be particularly valuable to farmers, who need tailored information about conditions affecting their crops.
The third area is Greek culture and language, with a focus on collecting and using language data for both modern and ancient Greek.
“Technology speaks Greek today, but the truth is that its vocabulary is rather limited compared with the richness and breadth of the Greek language,” he said, underlining the need to strengthen the presence of the Greek language and culture in the age of artificial intelligence.
Social media: Platforms to check the ages of users under 15
The Minister of Digital Governance spoke at length about the proposed ban on social media use by minors under 15, explaining that Greece’s legislative initiative must be compatible with the European regulatory framework.
Greece cannot legislate, he said, while ignoring the common European principles governing the digital market.
On European initiatives to protect minors, he clarified that the proposals in question do not in themselves constitute binding European legislation.
The government, he said, has chosen to act at national level, within the limits permitted by the European framework for digital services, rather than wait for a possible European legislative process to be completed.
“Platforms should find reasonable ways to check users’ ages,” he said, comparing their obligation to that of a shopkeeper or entertainment venue owner to check the age of their customers.
As he explained, platforms will be able to use their own verification systems. If they cannot confirm a user’s age, they will be able to use the age-verification tool developed by Greece.
The minister said the tool does not pass users’ personal data to platforms, but provides only the information on whether a child is above or below the age threshold of 15.
Under the plan he outlined, from 1 January 2027 platforms will be responsible for checking accounts and verifying users’ ages, reducing the need for constant parental supervision.
Papastergiou stressed, however, that the family’s role remains important.
He urged parents not to give their own mobile phones to their children for the verification process, as this could lead the platform to incorrectly assess the user’s age.
He also stressed the importance of parents setting an example in their own use of mobile phones.
“Our children want communication, connection. Let’s put our phones down a little too,” he said.
The minister acknowledged that implementing the measure would not be easy and would not lead to immediate, universal compliance.
He cited the experience of Australia, however, saying that, according to the figures he referred to, three in ten children had abandoned their social media accounts.
Cameras in driving tests and changes to licence issuance
Dimitris Papastergiou also spoke about changes being pursued in cooperation with the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport, outlining two key measures concerning the acquisition of driving licences and the registration of new vehicles.
The first involves overhauling the training and licensing process for new drivers, with the aim of better monitoring their attendance at compulsory lessons.
As he explained, the new system will make it easier to verify that learner drivers have attended their training. It will also provide for the use of cameras in vehicles and at test venues to curb irregularities recorded in the past.
The second measure concerns the creation of a unified system for registering new cars and issuing number plates.
The aim is to address delays and other problems that have arisen in the process.
The project, he said, is being carried out jointly by the Ministry of Digital Governance, the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport, and the Foundation for Research and Technology – Hellas (FORTH).
Fibre optics: Rules for networks in apartment buildings and on streets
The minister also discussed the draft bill on fibre optics, which is open to consultation, responding to questions about installing multiple networks in the same building and residents’ concerns about possible damage to communal areas.
He said the legislative initiative aims to better organise network deployment both on streets and in apartment buildings, taking into account problems that have arisen during installation work.
“We are no longer in the situation we were in ten years ago, when we had to provide incentives to get networks built,” he said, noting that a clearer framework is now needed to organise the infrastructure.
He placed particular emphasis on how different providers would be guaranteed access to infrastructure already installed in an apartment building.
Under the plan he outlined, the first provider to install a network in a building would have to give access to other providers, preserving residents’ ability to choose their services.
Papastergiou said the public consultation would be used to consider proposals from the market and the technical issues raised, with the aim of submitting the bill to parliament in the coming period.