The EU bets on AI: 6 new hubs and a 200 billion plan
The European Union continues its strategy of investment in Artificial Intelligence with theannouncement of six new AI Factories. These new technology hubs will strengthen theEuropean ecosystem for development and innovation in Artificial Intelligence, with an additional investment of EUR 485 million.
The new 6 AI Factories
The six new AI Factories announced by the European Commission will be located in the following countries:
- AI:AT (Austria)
- BRAIN++ (Bulgaria)
- AI2F (France)
- JAIF (Germany)
- PIAST (Poland)
- SLAIF (Slovenia)
These facilities will join the previously selected seven in December 2024, bringing the total number of AI Factories in Europe to 13.
AI Factories are advanced hubs that combine computing power, data and talent to support start-ups and SMEs in developing generative AI models and advanced applications. These innovation hubs aim to empower strategic sectors such as healthcare, manufacturing, climate and finance by providing high-level computational resources.
Italy: a pole of excellence
Italy takes a central role with the AI Factory in Bologna, which will be the largest in Europe in terms of computing capacity and investment, consolidating the role of the Technopole as a national and European digital crossroads.
The Bologna AI Factory will be operational by 2026 and managed by CINECA, the inter-university consortium established in 1967 to optimise academic computing capabilities.
Thanks to a 430 million euro investment, the facility will integrate quantum computing, acceleratinginnovation and supporting SMEs, start-ups and research institutes. This infrastructure joins existing resources, such as the Leonardo supercomputer, strengthening Italy’s leadership in supercomputing.
The EU Investment Plan for AI
In February, during theArtificial Intelligence (AI) Action Summit in Paris, the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, announced InvestAI, an initiative to mobilise EUR 200 billion for investments inArtificial Intelligence.
Among the planned measures is the creation of a new EUR 20 billion European fund for AI gigafactories. These advanced infrastructures will be instrumental in fostering open and collaborative development of the most complex AI models, strengthening Europe’s role as a global AI hub.
