EU launches €5B call for seven AI gigafactories across member states

Published Jul 30, 10:28 AM UTC

The European Union has published a long-awaited call-for-tender to build seven AI gigafactories, with €5 billion in EU funding as part of a total €30 billion investment. The initiative, a step up from an earlier plan for four gigafactories, will create a network of three large hubs (each with 100,000 advanced AI chips) and four smaller ones (up to 75,000 chips each). Eighteen EU countries have expressed interest, with Germany, Italy, Spain, Portugal, and Greece vying for large facilities, and France, Poland, Finland, Denmark, and Czechia among those interested in smaller sites. The call closes on 12 November, with the first phase expected by May 2027 and full completion by May 2032. The tender includes measures to limit Nvidia's dominance by requiring applicants to demonstrate mitigation of vendor lock-in.