EU Plans Seven AI Gigafactories in €30 Billion Tech Push

The European Union is launching an ambitious €30 billion initiative to bolster its technological sovereignty in artificial intelligence. The plan involves creating seven state-of-the-art AI 'gigafactories' across the bloc, aiming to significantly reduce the continent's dependence on major U.S. and Chinese tech firms.

This substantial investment, comprising €10 billion in public funds from the EU and member states, is designed to attract an additional €20 billion from private industry and international investors. These facilities will function as next-generation supercomputing centers, equipped with thousands of advanced AI processors, cloud infrastructure, high-speed networks, and energy-efficient data centers. They will serve as the backbone for training large language models and other sophisticated AI systems.

The EU aims to ensure these new infrastructures are accessible not only to large corporations but also to startups, small and medium-sized enterprises, universities, research institutions, and public organizations. This broad accessibility is intended to accelerate innovation throughout the European economy.

The selection process is open to consortia combining public and private entities, with each gigafactory to be hosted in a single member state, though its components can be spread across multiple locations within that country. Applications are due by November 12, with initial selections expected in early 2027. Spain has already expressed interest in hosting a facility, citing advantages like lower energy costs and strong 5G network development.