Towards faster and more effective competition investigations with artificial intelligence

COMPETITION

The Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology (LIST) and the Luxembourg Competition Authority are launching the second phase of their partnership on artificial intelligence. Scientists and case handlers will work together to develop a prototype digital tool combining several AI technologies, to enhance the Authority’s analysis capabilities of ever-growing volumes of data.

The collaboration between the two Luxembourg public institutions began in September 2024. Its first phase focused on an AI-based digital assistant. Building on these initial results, the partners are now taking a more ambitious step: bringing together different technological building blocks from LIST's research into a single tool.

Artificial intelligence at the heart of the project

The project is built on AI agents which aims are to assist case-handlers of the Authority by automatically processing large quantities of documents and facilitating the identification of certain behaviours or patterns.

These agents will be complemented by visualisation technologies developed at LIST, which turn complex datasets into interactive graphical representations. This makes the connections between pieces of information easier to see and supports analysis.

To speed up development, LIST will use BESSER, its low-code platform that automatically generates a large part of an application and the agent code from a model. The researchers will also compare several AI approaches, including large language models, to select those that are most reliable and best suited to the requirements of a public authority.

The goal is to free case handlers from the most time-consuming tasks so they can focus on analysis. The project will also measure this contribution concretely, in terms of time, effort and quality of results.

Marco Estanqueiro, Vice-President of the Luxembourg Competition Authority, said:

As markets and evidence become increasingly digital, we need to continuously adapt our working methods and innovate so that competition enforcement remains effective in safeguarding open and competitive markets that benefit both businesses and consumers. This tool will help our teams review increasingly complex and high-volume information more effectively, while keeping legal assessment and decision-making firmly in human hands.

Designed with and for its users

Development will follow an agile methodology, in short cycles. In each cycle, the Authority's teams will test new features, share their feedback and set the priorities for the next stage together with LIST researchers.

Francesco Ferrero, head of the Flagship Initiative on Artificial Intelligence and the Human-Centred AI, Data and Software Research Unit at LIST, added:

This project shows how LIST turns artificial intelligence research into concrete solutions for public authorities. By working hand in hand with the Authority, we aim to create reliable tools that will be useful well beyond Luxembourg.

The second phase of the project will run until August 2027. At its conclusion, LIST and the Competition Authority will have an integrated prototype that will pave the way for new uses of artificial intelligence in competition law enforcement in Luxembourg.

Picture (from left to right) Daniele Pagani, Marco Estanqueiro, Jordi Cabot, Petar Georgioski, Marcos Gomez, Sofie Hancer, Alexandre Kraynyukov, Isabella Lorenzoni, Maël Cornil, Nicolas Médoc, Francesco Ferrero.

About the Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology

The Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology (LIST) is a leading European research and technology organisation specialising in natural sciences and engineering in Luxembourg and the Greater Region. With 840 employees, nearly 80% of whom are researchers, LIST drives transformative science across natural, built and industrial environments, and makes the most of its expertise in space, artificial intelligence, and security and defence. LIST bridges fundamental and applied research, developing prototypes and market-ready solutions that strengthen industry, public authorities and society. Through strong partnerships with public and private stakeholders, LIST accelerates technology transfer, fosters collaboration, strengthens Luxembourg's global competitiveness and contributes to a sustainable and resilient future.

For more information: www.list.lu.

About the Luxembourg Competition Authority

The Luxembourg Competition Authority is the national authority responsible for protecting and promoting competition. It conducts investigations, issues decisions and, where appropriate, imposes penalties to ensure compliance with competition law.

In addition to its core mandate, the Competition Authority also enforces other European regulations, such as the Digital Markets Act (DMA), which seeks to rebalance relations between large digital platforms designated as gatekeepers and business users, and the Digital Services Act (DSA), which aims to create a safer and more accountable digital space. These digital competences complement and strengthen the Authority's mandate against anti-competitive practices, improving its ability to monitor and regulate the digital economy effectively and ensuring that online platforms operate fairly and transparently.

The Authority also provides advice and recommendations to public authorities on matters likely to affect competition, helping to foster innovation and consumer welfare.

For more information about the Competition Authority, please visit: www.concurrence.lu