BRUSSELS, August 4: The European Union has launched a call for tenders to establish up to seven AI Gigafactories across Europe, marking a major step in its strategy to strengthen technological sovereignty and position the bloc as a global leader in artificial intelligence.
The initiative, backed by up to €10 billion in combined EU and national funding, is expected to mobilize more than €30 billion in total investment, including at least €20 billion from the private sector.
According to the European Commission, the AI Gigafactories will significantly expand Europe’s high-performance computing capacity, providing start-ups, scale-ups, small and medium-sized enterprises, industries, research institutions and public authorities with access to advanced infrastructure for training, fine-tuning and deploying next-generation AI models.
The new facilities will integrate state-of-the-art AI processors, cloud technology, software platforms, high-speed connectivity and energy-efficient data centres. They will complement Europe’s existing network of 19 AI Factories, enhancing the continent’s technological resilience, competitiveness and strategic autonomy.
The European Union said the initiative is designed to ensure that advanced AI systems are developed on European infrastructure while adhering to the bloc’s standards on data protection, cybersecurity, safety and ethical use of artificial intelligence.
The AI Gigafactories programme is part of the EU’s broader efforts to accelerate innovation, support digital transformation and strengthen Europe’s position in the rapidly evolving global AI landscape.
