Information society technologies are transforming the economy and society by creating new ways of working and new types of business. They also provide solutions to major societal challenges such as healthcare, environment, safety, mobility and employment, and have far reaching implications on our everyday life.

Although substantial advances have been made, Europe is still far from taking full advantage of the potential of knowledge-based services in real life. Products and services are still hard to use and out of reach for many people, and the 'digital divide' is widening across the world. Research will focus on the future generation of technologies in which computers and networks will be integrated into the everyday environment, rendering accessible a multitude of services and applications through easy-to-use human interfaces. This vision of 'ambient intelligence' places the user at the centre of future developments for an inclusive knowledge-based society for all.