AI-CUBE seeks to enhance the understanding of different digital technologies related to artificial intelligence (AI) and big data (BD) applied in process industries for all the SPIRE industrial sectors. At the start of the project in September 2020 there were eight SPIRE industrial sectors considered, namely: cement, ceramics, chemicals, engineering, minerals and ores, non-ferrous metals, steel and water. At the start of 2021, also pulp & paper and refineries were added – which were then considered and integrated into the list of sectors being analysed through the project. Therefore, a close collaboration with industry is mandatory to achieve in-depth insights into possible application areas of AI for processes, technology, sensor applicability and assessment of their level of penetration. The overall project approach is based on the development of a 3-dimensional conceptual matrix based on: 1) AI and BD technologies 2) Application areas (activities and industrial processes) 3) SPIRE sectors AI-CUBE’s main goal is to define a roadmap in AI and the use of BD for the process industry and their maturity level across the industrial sectors, including guidelines for implementation. Industrial stakeholders and associations will validate the consolidated roadmap ensuring solution feasibility and benefits for the European industrial community. A crosslinked vision over process industry sectors shall facilitate cooperation and boost technologies deployment at their full potential. An in-depth consultation with industry (association, representatives, companies) will provide an overview of current AI and BD algorithms application, identifying exploitable synergies among sectors. A deep study of the application areas in planning and operations within other industrial sectors facilitates a gap analysis, propitiating knowledge sharing among processes and sectors. A Multi-Actor Multi-Criteria analysis will obtain a widely supported and consensus-based action plan for industrial consultation. This will allow the inclusion of a broad stakeholder community representing the main industry actors throughout all the SPIRE sectors, with which the project consortium has strong connections that will support sector integration and stakeholders’ engagement.