European Commission Funds AI Gigafactories to Reach Tech Sovereignty

The European Commission announced a 30 billion euro initiative to establish seven AI gigafactories across the European Union to achieve tech sovereignty and close the artificial intelligence gap with the United States and China. The plan provides 10 billion euros in public funding from EU and national governments, with the goal of attracting an additional 20 billion euros in private investment.

Each facility must house at least 100,000 advanced AI chips, an effort designed to more than double the bloc's current computing capacity. To ensure hardware access, the Commission has signed letters of intent with U.S. chipmakers including Nvidia, AMD, and Qualcomm. The project integrates advanced processors and energy-efficient data centers to support European universities, public bodies, and startups.

EU leaders cited concerns that dependence on foreign technology providers could be weaponized against Europeans. Consequently, any products developed within these centers must adhere to EU standards on safety, security, ethics, and data protection, including the Digital Services Act and Digital Markets Act. The Commission has opened a call for tenders with a bidding deadline of November 12, 2026. Construction is scheduled for 2027, with the facilities expected to be operational by mid-2028.