France and the UAE have reached an agreement to develop a 1-gigawatt artificial intelligence data center, with an investment estimated at between $30 billion and $50 billion. French President Emmanuel Macron met with UAE leader Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in Paris to discuss the project ahead of the upcoming AI Summit.
The February 10-11 summit will bring together representatives from around 100 countries and aims to highlight the role of France and Europe in the field of artificial intelligence. The initiative is part of a wider effort to compete with the United States and China, which currently dominate the industry. Both countries have expressed their commitment to strategic AI cooperation and future investments.
The planned investments will cover AI development in France and the UAE, including high-performance chips, data centers, and talent development. The agreement also involves the creation of a virtual data embassy to strengthen cloud and AI sovereignty. The first investment announcements are expected to be made at the “Choose France” summit later this year.
The French government has identified 35 potential sites for AI data centers, supporting the country’s ambition to become a major AI hub.
