As Paris hosts the Global AI Summit today and tomorrow, Brookfield, a Canadian investment fund, has announced a €20 billion ($21 billion) investment into France’s data infrastructure by 2030. The funds will be directed towards building data centres crucial for advancing the country’s role in the global AI race.
This significant investment aligns with France’s strategic push to position itself at the forefront of the AI revolution, which has largely been dominated by the United States and China. As nations across the globe compete to develop the infrastructure needed to train and power AI systems, Brookfield’s commitment demonstrates France’s growing ambition in the sector.
The €20 billion investment will be split, with €15 billion earmarked for the construction of new data centres, including a major “mega-project” in the northern city of Cambrai. The remaining €5 billion will fund critical infrastructure, such as energy generators, to support these data-heavy operations.
This announcement comes just days after the United Arab Emirates unveiled plans to build a massive data centre in France, with an estimated cost between €30 billion and €50 billion. Once completed, it will be the largest AI campus in Europe.
Currently, France boasts over 300 data centres, making it the world’s sixth-largest host of such facilities, after the United States, Germany, Britain, China, and Canada. The investments announced today signal France’s commitment to bolstering its AI capabilities and infrastructure, positioning it as a vital player in the future of artificial intelligence and digital technology.
The AI Summit underway in Paris, where global leaders in technology and politics are gathering, highlights France’s ambitious vision to become a key global hub for AI innovation.
