The European Union has announced plans to open between three and five new megafactories equipped with large-scale supercomputers across Europe, as part of a €20 billion initiative aimed at developing a new generation of artificial intelligence (AI) models. The plan also opens the door to changes in the EU’s regulatory framework governing technology, The Guardian reports.
Unveiling the strategy to transform Europe into a “continent of artificial intelligence,” European Commission Vice President Henna Virkkunen said the goal is to make Europe more competitive, secure, and technologically sovereign.
The EU has already begun implementing a plan to establish 13 AI factories — locations equipped with supercomputers and data centers where researchers develop and test AI models.
The new AI megafactories, to be built as part of the €20 billion plan, would be significantly larger and are aimed at driving what the European Commission describes as major innovations in healthcare, biotechnology, industry, robotics, and scientific advancement.
While high-performance AI factories currently operate supercomputers with up to 25,000 advanced AI processors, a single megafactory would surpass 100,000 AI processors, according to the strategy document.
