Summary Points
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Launch of InvestAI: At the AI Action Summit, Ursula von der Leyen announced InvestAI, a €200 billion initiative aimed at advancing AI in Europe, including a €20 billion fund specifically for AI gigafactories.
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AI Gigafactories Development: The initiative will finance four AI gigafactories across the EU, designed to train very large AI models with cutting-edge technology, enhancing Europe’s capacity for complex AI applications in fields like healthcare and science.
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Public-Private Partnership: InvestAI represents the world’s largest public-private partnership for trustworthy AI development, ensuring that all companies can access essential computing power to foster innovation.
- Broader Support for AI Innovation: The initiative is part of a wider AI innovation package that includes financial support programs, talent development in generative AI, and the creation of a European AI Research Council, further bolstering Europe’s AI landscape.
EU Launches InvestAI Initiative to Mobilize €200 Billion for AI Investment
PARIS — At the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Action Summit, Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, announced the launch of InvestAI. This ambitious initiative aims to mobilize €200 billion to boost investment in artificial intelligence across Europe.
The plan includes a new €20 billion European fund dedicated to developing AI gigafactories. These facilities will facilitate the collaborative development of complex AI models. Von der Leyen stated, “AI will improve our healthcare, spur our research and innovation and boost our competitiveness.”
InvestAI aspires to transform Europe into a leading AI continent. It will prioritize openness and cooperation while ensuring that smaller companies also gain access to the resources they need. “We want AI to be a force for good and for growth,” von der Leyen explained.
Nadia Calviño, president of the European Investment Bank, emphasized the importance of AI as a key driver of innovation and productivity in Europe. She noted, “Together with the EU Commission, the EIB Group is stepping up support for Artificial Intelligence.”
The InvestAI fund will finance four upcoming AI gigafactories. These facilities will specialize in training advanced AI models that require substantial computing power. Each gigafactory will utilize around 100,000 cutting-edge AI chips, significantly surpassing the current capabilities of existing factories.
This initiative marks the largest public-private partnership for trustworthy AI worldwide. The gigafactories will support a cooperative model that benefits various industries, from healthcare to environmental science. By doing so, every company—big or small—will access the computing power needed for future innovations.
InvestAI will establish a layered fund, which aims to reduce risks for investors by utilizing existing EU budgets. Initial funding will come from programs such as the Digital Europe Programme and Horizon Europe. Member States can enhance this initiative by allocating funds from their Cohesion envelopes.
In December, the Commission announced seven AI factories, with plans to reveal five more soon. Ongoing investments, co-financed by the EU and member states, already represent one of the largest public investments in AI globally, encouraging further private investment.
Beyond the InvestAI initiative, the European Commission is actively promoting AI innovations through various support actions. These include financial aid for generative AI, initiatives to expand the AI talent pool, and measures to stimulate investments in AI startups.
The Commission is also advancing the development of Common European Data Spaces, which are crucial for training AI models. Additionally, the upcoming ‘GenAI4EU’ initiative will foster novel use cases across various industrial sectors.
To capitalize on Europe’s AI potential, the Commission plans to establish a European AI Research Council. Later this year, it will launch the ‘Apply AI’ initiative, which aims to drive the adoption of AI in key industries.
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