The European Commission (EC) revealed it received interest from member states in developing AI gigafactories. While the regulator did not name interested companies due to confidentiality, it confirmed responses from a range of stakeholders including European and international tech companies, data centre operators, telecoms providers, energy suppliers and financial investors.
According to Reuters, EU tech chief Henna Virkkunen told a press conference that the level of interest received “exceeds far beyond our expectations”, adding that it “showcases Europe’s growing momentum and enthusiasm for innovating in AI in Europe”.
The response comes after the EC issued a call for expressions of interest to identify potential consortia and gather early input for the next phase of the continent’s AI push.
The call, which outlined plans to build across 60 proposed sites, came after the regulator earmarked €20 billion to support the construction of four AI gigafactories earlier this year. These high-capacity compute and storage facilities will support advanced AI model training and are set to play a key role in strengthening the EU’s digital infrastructure.
Although the consultation did not involve funding or formal commitments, it is set to shape the official call for proposals expected by the end of this year.
Source: Mobile World Live
Image Credit: Stock Image
