EU invests €200bn to build sophisticated artificial intelligence models to keep up with the US and China
The European Union plans to invest 200 billion euros in the development of artificial intelligence (AI) as part of the InvestAI initiative.
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The main goal of the project is to create "gigafactories" to produce and train complex AI models. The French President, Emmanuel Macron, has announced €109bn to develop AI in the country, comparing the project to North America's Stargate initiative, which plans to invest $500bn.
In addition to France, €150bn will be invested in AI development by the European AI Champions Initiative, a group of European private investors. They will be joined by the EU, allocating a sum of €50bn.
However, despite the significant investment, the EU is facing challenges due to strict data transfer rules that are slowing down the development of AI tools. While the US and China already offer several flagship AI-based services such as ChatGPT, Gemini and DeepSeek, the EU has yet to catch up.
Ursula von der Leyen, chair of the EU Commission, emphasised that Europe aims to become one of the leading continents in AI, despite the challenges. She noted that AI will improve healthcare, accelerate research and innovation, and enhance the region's competitiveness.
However, to achieve these goals, the EU needs to overcome existing regulatory barriers and create a favourable environment for AI development.
Source: The Verge
