The EU is investing €10 billion in the development of artificial intelligence
The European Union will allocate 10 billion euros for the construction of seven AI gigafactories. The new facilities are intended to provide Europe with its own capacity for AI development and help reduce the technological gap with the United States and China.
The European Commission has announced one of the largest technology projects in recent years. The EU will invest 10 billion euros in the creation of seven AI “gigafactories,” which will operate in various countries across the bloc. Initially, the plan was to build five such centers, but due to high interest from EU member states, the project was expanded to seven.
In addition to funding from the European Commission, the plan is to attract at least another 20 billion euros in private investment. Thus, the total funding for the project could exceed 30 billion euros. These “gigafactories” will be large technology complexes combining state-of-the-art processors for artificial intelligence, software, cloud services, high-speed data networks, and powerful data centers.
The European Commission explains that such computing centers are needed to train modern artificial intelligence models and develop new digital technologies. At the same time, the new gigafactories will not replace existing infrastructure but will complement it. There are currently 19 artificial intelligence factories already operating in European Union countries, and the new facilities will mark the next stage in the development of this network.
Hanna Virkunnen, European Commissioner for Technological Sovereignty, Security, and Democracy, emphasized that for Europe, this is not only a matter of economic development but also of strategic independence. “Access to scalable computing power is a strategic necessity for Europe,” she noted. The EU believes that having its own infrastructure will help European companies and researchers create competitive artificial intelligence systems without relying on foreign technology platforms.
Who Can Participate in the Project
The European Commission has launched a call for proposals open to consortia and specially established companies, which may include technology firms, cloud service providers, government agencies, research organizations, and private investors. Applications will be accepted until November 12. Once the call for proposals closes, the European Commission will select the winners. This is expected to take place in early 2027.
Once the contracts are signed, the construction and launch of each gigafactory must be completed within 18 months. Brussels expects this project to be an important step in the development of the European artificial intelligence industry and to help strengthen the EU’s position in the global technology competition with the U.S. and China. This was reported by Reuters.
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