Canadian investment giant Brookfield Asset Management is betting big on France’s artificial intelligence future with a €20 billion ($20.7 billion) investment planned through 2030. France is making a big push to establish itself as a key player in the global AI infrastructure landscape, particularly as Europe seeks to catch up with the United States and China in the AI race.
Key Points:
- €15 billion will fund a massive data center in Cambrai, with up to one gigawatt of capacity.
- €5 billion will support AI infrastructure, including energy and chip storage.
- France is attracting major AI investments, including a €50 billion project from the UAE.
Brookfield’s investment is centered around a massive data center project in Cambrai, northern France, which will command approximately €15 billion of the total investment. The facility is designed to reach an impressive one gigawatt capacity, positioning it among Europe’s largest AI computing facilities. The remaining €5 billion will support crucial infrastructure developments, including new electricity production capabilities to power these energy-intensive operations.
The announcement comes just ahead of Paris’s Artificial Intelligence Action Summit, where global tech leaders and heads of state are gathering to discuss the future of AI. It also follows closely on the heels of a substantial commitment from the United Arab Emirates, which recently pledged between €30 billion and €50 billion for an AI campus project in France.
France and UAE Partner on Multi-Billion Dollar AI Infrastructure Project
The framework agreement outlines plans for a 1-gigawatt data center and associated AI infrastructure, with investments ranging from $31-52 billion.
French President Emmanuel Macron has embraced these developments as crucial steps in establishing France’s position in the global AI landscape. “We must not slow down, the world is accelerating. This is a battle for independence.”
The investment surge in French AI infrastructure appears to be partly motivated by recent developments across the Atlantic. In January, OpenAI, SoftBank, and MGX unveiled their ambitious Stargate Project, a $500 billion investment program aimed at constructing multiple AI data centers in the United States. This announcement, combined with Mario Draghi’s report on European competitiveness, has spurred European policymakers into action.
France’s Bpifrance Commits $10.3 Billion to AI Ecosystem Ahead of Global Summit
This new commitment will focus on three areas: foundation models, AI infrastructure, and AI-specialized chips.
France’s AI ecosystem is experiencing a broader investment momentum beyond Brookfield’s commitment. Bpifrance, the country’s public investment bank, has pledged €10 billion to support AI startups and venture capital firms specializing in AI investments. Additionally, French telecom giant Iliad, founded by Xavier Niel, has announced a €3 billion AI investment plan, with €2.5 billion earmarked for new AI-focused data centers.
With France already hosting over 300 data centers and ranking sixth globally in data center capacity, these new investments could significantly enhance its position in the global AI infrastructure landscape. The country has identified 35 additional sites ready for new data center development, spanning approximately 1,200 hectares, with locations to be revealed in the coming week.