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European Council | Artificial Intelligence: Council Paves the Way for the Creation of AI Gigafactories

The Council has adopted today an amendment to the regulation governing the activities of the European High-Performance Computing Joint Undertaking (EuroHPC JU), extending its objectives to facilitate the creation of Artificial Intelligence (AI) gigafactories in Europe and to include a dedicated quantum technologies pillar.

The amended regulation allows for the development and operation of AI gigafactories in Europe, a world-class AI compute infrastructure that will strengthen Europe’s industry and competitiveness, while fostering cooperation through public-private partnerships that include member states and industry stakeholders. It also sets rules for funding and procurement, while safeguarding the interests of start-ups and scale-ups. The amendment provides flexibility for partners, enabling them to optimise results while advancing Europe’s leadership in AI and quantum technologies.

“Today, we’ve taken a bold and swift step towards proceeding with establishing AI gigafactories in Europe. AI is one of the most critical technologies of our time, defining our digital future, and investing in the needed infrastructure capacity for AI is essential for boosting Europe’s resilience, competitiveness, and sovereignty. This move demonstrates our commitment to ensuring that Europe leads in this transformative field.”

Nicodemos Damianou, Cyprus deputy minister of research, innovation and digital policy

Next steps

Following the Council’s approval, the legislative act has been adopted. The regulation will be published in the Official Journal of the European Union on 19th of January and will enter into force on the following day.

Background

EuroHPC aims to develop, deploy, and maintain supercomputing, quantum computing, and data infrastructure in the EU, while also supporting the growth of high performing computing (HPC) systems, technologies, and skills for European science and industry. The EuroHPC regulation was amended in 2024 to include the development and operation of AI Factories —dynamic ecosystems that promote innovation and collaboration in artificial intelligence. The Commission’s proposed second amendment, introduced on 15 July 2025, builds on this by supporting the establishment of AI gigafactories, further advancing Europe’s leadership in AI innovation.

 

 

 

Compliments of the European Council