European Union plans seven AI gigafactories to boost computing power

The European Union is planning to establish seven large-scale AI computing centers, known as ‘AI gigafactories,’ to bridge the technological gap with the United States. The initiative includes three large and four smaller centers designed to provide the computational power necessary for researchers and startups to train advanced artificial intelligence models.

To date, 18 of the 27 EU member states have committed to supporting these projects, with total national contributions reaching approximately €3 billion. Greece has pledged €200 million toward one of the larger centers. Other participating nations include France, Denmark, Poland, and the Czech Republic, which have each committed at least €100 million for smaller facilities. Meanwhile, countries such as Portugal, Spain, Germany, and Italy also intend to contribute at least €200 million.

Nine member states have not yet made financial commitments, citing concerns over existing budget pressures. A key requirement for the project is that participating governments must commit to purchasing computing power from the centers at a value equal to or greater than the EU funding received. This mechanism is intended to provide security for private investors, who are expected to cover the majority of the costs in a landscape where high energy costs and lengthy permitting processes can hinder infrastructure investment.