EU seeks over €20bn for AI gigafactories

The European Commission launched a call for tenders on Thursday to establish up to seven AI gigafactories across Europe, seeking more than €20 billion in private investment as part of projects worth over €30 billion.

Up to €10 billion would come from EU and national funding, with the rest expected from private investors.

Brussels says the gigafactories would combine advanced AI processors, software, cloud technology, high-speed connectivity and energy-efficient data centres. The Commission said they would expand Europe’s AI computing capacity and give start-ups, smaller companies, industry, academia and public authorities access to AI infrastructure.

The EU wants to triple data centre capacity in Europe over the next five to seven years. AFP reported that the bloc is trying to build infrastructure to keep pace in global AI development while reducing its dependence on non-European technology.

EU tech chief Henna Virkkunen called the launch of the call “a milestone” in the bloc’s AI ambitions and said access to large-scale computing power was “a strategic necessity for Europe as AI development accelerates.”