EU plans seven AI gigafactories with 30 billion euro investment

The European Union is launching an ambitious 30 billion euro initiative to build seven state-of-the-art AI gigafactories. This move aims to bolster Europe's technological independence and reduce its reliance on dominant U.S. and Chinese tech companies.

The project will be funded by 10 billion euros from public sources, including the EU and member states, with the goal of attracting an additional 20 billion euros from private industry and international investors. These seven facilities will function as next-generation supercomputing centers, equipped with advanced AI processors, cloud infrastructure, high-speed networks, and energy-efficient data centers. They are intended to serve as the backbone for training large language models and other sophisticated AI systems.

Crucially, the EU wants these new infrastructures to be accessible not only to large corporations but also to startups, small and medium-sized enterprises, universities, research institutions, and public organizations. This broad access is designed to accelerate innovation across the entire European economy. The European Commission has opened a call for interest from consortia of public and private entities, with applications due by November 12. Initial selections are anticipated in early 2027, with construction slated to begin promptly and the first units operational within approximately 18 months of project commencement.

Spain has already expressed interest in hosting one of the facilities, citing advantages such as lower energy costs, extensive 5G network development, strategic undersea cable connections, robust public supercomputing infrastructure, and a skilled AI workforce. This initiative represents a significant effort by the EU to cultivate its own AI ecosystem and foster the development of homegrown technologies.