This is conceptually and literally a very big deal big deal.
From Bloomberg, May 19:
Nvidia, UAE’s MGX Plan to Build Europe’s Largest Data Center
Nvidia Corp. and Abu Dhabi investment vehicle MGX are partnering with French firms to establish what they say will be Europe’s largest artificial intelligence data center campus, advancing French and Emirati ambitions in the field.
The goal is to build a campus near Paris with a capacity of 1.4 gigawatts, the companies said Monday in a joint statement with French state-owned investment firm Bpifrance SACA and national AI champion Mistral AI. The announcement was made at the Choose France summit in Versailles.
The initiative developed out of broader AI cooperation agreements established in February, when United Arab Emirates leader Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan visited with French President Emmanuel Macron. Those discussions included Emirati plans to invest up to €50 billion ($56.4 billion) in French data centers, Bloomberg News reported at the time.
The deal marries the UAE’s desire to diversify its economy and extend its political influence with France’s effort to develop so-called AI sovereignty in Europe. Macron had previously announced €109 billion of investments in AI infrastructure as part of a push to compete with the US and China.
Other partners in the AI campus include conglomerate Bouygues SA, energy operator EDF Group, and science and engineering university Ecole Polytechnique, which also has a partnership with Mohamed Bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence in Abu Dhabi.
The data center campus represents an €8.5 billion investment and the first phase will be operational in 2028, according to a separate statement from Macron’s office....
....MORE
If interested see also:
France's "Mistral AI warns of lack of data centres and training capacity in Europe"
"Is French tech facing a lull?"
No time for a lull. Since 2018 we've been pitching French tech as an economic engine to supplant Germany and this would be an awful time to pull up on the reins."Jensen Huang Wants to Make AI the New World Infrastructure" (NVDA)
Do whatever it takes, either get the deficit under control (6.1% of GDP? That's American-level depravity but with a currency you don't issue) or do a Frexit and go back to the franc so you can inflate it away, what ever it takes to make the investments now....
This sovereign AI you speak of, I have heard of it.
I have heard wondrous tales of immense wealth,
Of amazing deeds performed as if by magic.
Yes I have heard of all of this...*French Tech: "Macron's €109 Billion ‘Adieu’ to All the AI Doomerism"
French Billionaire Families Buy Into Paris Venture Capital Firm
"Meta A.I. Chief Yann LeCun Applauds France’s Effort to Attract U.S. Scientists"
French Tech: France's Flagship Supercomputer Just Got Four Times Faster
And many, many more.
