EU launches €5B tender to build seven AI gigafactories

Published Jul 30, 10:28 AM UTC

The European Union has published a long-awaited call-for-tender to build seven flagship AI gigafactories, with €5 billion in EU funding as part of a total €30 billion investment. The project, an expansion from an original plan for four hubs, will create a network of three large and four smaller AI compute facilities across multiple EU countries. Eighteen EU countries have expressed interest, with Germany, Italy, Spain, Portugal, and Greece vying for the larger hubs, and France, Poland, Finland, Denmark, and Czechia among those interested in smaller ones. The call includes measures to reduce reliance on Nvidia chips by requiring applicants to demonstrate mitigation of vendor lock-in. The first phase is expected to be completed by May 2028, with full completion contractually set for May 2032.