Key Takeaways
- France and UAE agree to forge strategic AI partnership.
- UAE to invest €30 to €50 billion in Europe’s largest AI data center in France.
- 1GW data center to power cutting-edge AI development.
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) would invest billions of euros to build a huge artificial intelligence (AI) data center in the country.
The agreement, announced on February 6 by the French presidency, underscores the UAE’s commitment to advancing AI infrastructure globally, with the project set to establish the largest AI campus in Europe. The development comes days before the AI Action Summit (February 10-11) in Paris, which will see the participation of world leaders and experts from around 100 countries.
The two sides further agreed to explore collaboration on projects and investments that support the development of the AI value chain, including investment in UAE and French AI projects, leading-edge chips, data center infrastructure, and talent development. UAE and France are also establishing Virtual Data Embassies to enable sovereign AI and cloud infrastructure in both countries.
The AI data center investment was part of a larger AI agreement signed between French President Emmanuel Macron and UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in Paris on Feb 6, 2025.
The center will have one gigawatt of capacity, and “represents investments of €30 to €50 billion,” the French presidency said in a statement.
“The two leaders expressed their desire to create a strategic partnership in the field of AI and committed to exploring collaborations on projects and investments supporting the development of the AI-value chain,” according to the joint Franco-Emirati statement.
Key Highlights
- The UAE will invest between €30 to €50 billion ($31 to $52 billion) to build a cutting-edge AI data center in France.
- The project will include a 1-gigawatt (GW) data center, rivaling the scale of hyperscaler data centers operated by tech giants like Google and Microsoft.
- The investment is part of a broader framework for AI cooperation between France and the UAE, aiming to boost both countries’ AI capabilities and sovereign cloud infrastructure.
- France and the UAE will explore collaborations in AI research, semiconductor development, data centers, and talent development.
1GW AI campus in France
The centerpiece of this ambitious venture is a state-of-the-art AI data center, which will be located within a larger AI “campus.” The campus will play a pivotal role in advancing AI technologies across Europe, supporting the continent’s growing need for robust AI infrastructure.
The center will feature up to 1GW of computational power, positioning it alongside the largest hyperscale data centers globally. This enormous capacity will fuel AI research, development, and deployment, positioning France as a key player in the global AI race.
The French presidency highlighted that the AI campus would be the largest of its kind in Europe. This monumental development will provide the backbone for AI operations across the continent, spurring further technological advancements and innovations in AI.
France and UAE forge AI partnership
This monumental investment is the latest development in a growing AI collaboration between France and the UAE. The two countries have been exploring opportunities for joint ventures in AI, particularly in the development of cutting-edge semiconductors, AI infrastructure, and the creation of virtual embassies for data.
The partnership includes “investments in French and Emirati AI, the acquisition of cutting-edge semiconductors, data centers, the development of talent and the implementation of virtual embassies for data to enable the implementation of sovereign AI and cloud infrastructure in both countries,” reads a statement from the Élysée presidential palace.
The AI data center will drive more investment in AI, as both countries aim to grow their AI capabilities and stay competitive in a rapidly changing industry.
The French government has been actively working to expand its AI infrastructure, with a national strategy launched in 2017. As part of this effort, France has identified up to 35 sites across the country that are potential locations for future data centers, reinforcing its position as a leader in AI development.
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