The main objective of the lorAI project is to upgrade the Kempelen Institute of Intelligent Technologies (KInIT) to a leading R&I institution in low resource artificial intelligence (LRAI) in Slovakia and Europe (with help of advanced partners – top European AI research institutes ADAPT, DFKI and CERTH). The core of lorAI’s impact stands on three pillars: 1) nurturing talent and personal capacities, 2) pursuing research excellence in low resource AI (LRAI), and 3) innovation and technology transfer with elaborated outreach programmes. LRAI represents a global research challenge yet is also relevant to the EU region by developing efficient AI operating with limited resources to increase AI availability (for society and industry) and environmental sustainability. Despite tackling the low complexity and computational costs of AI, Centre of Excellence will explore AI applications for the NLP and Green environment (i.e., domains of energy usage optimization, anomaly detection). The activities of the CoE are grouped into ten focused Excellence programs, which, in synergy, contribute to expected impacts overseen by the call and destination by increasing research capacities and competence, funding acquisition capacities, excellent research with societal and economic impact, engagement of industry and wider R&I ecosystem, and internationalization. Aligned to Slovak and EU strategies (e.g., Slovak Smart Specialization, Coordinated Plan on AI, Green Deal), the lorAI project builds on a unique opportunity of ongoing programs (e.g., EUs Recovery and Resilience), importance of AI and environmental challenges, to multiply effects of the measures resulting in improving Slovak R&I culture and stimulate reforms. Thanks to the CoE governance model, autonomy is guaranteed. The diversified budget reduces unexpected disruptions and with cross-cutting themes (international, interdisciplinary, cross-sectoral, transfer oriented) ensures long-term sustainability.