Launched last September, the AI ​​Factory initiative aims to make Europe “The AI ​​continent“. To implement this interconnected network of AI polesthe common company EuroHPC (Eurohpc Ju)) launched two calls for expression of open interest until December 31. After announcing at the end of 2024 the first seven sites selected, it unveiled last week the six countries that will host the next AI factories in 2026: France, whose AI2F project has been selected, as well as Germany, Austria, Bulgaria, Poland and Slovenia.

The objective of these AI factories is to support innovation in Europe, especially in key sectors such as health care, energy, automobile, defense, aerospace, robotics, clean and agricultural technologies. They will also be connected to the national initiatives of the Member States in matters of AI and will be able to rely on European test and experimentation facilities, TEFs, and digital innovation poles.

Acting as a unique counters, they will offer startups, SMEs and IA researchers full support: access to high performance calculation resources (HPC) optimized by AI, training and technical expertise.

One of the friends (Eurohpc-2024-Cei-Ai-01) is addressed to the entities that host EuroHPC supercomputers wishing to establish an AI factory and, possibly, integrate an advanced experimental platform of supercalculculculculculculculculculculculculculculculculculculculculculculcul The second ((Eurohpc-2024-Cei-Ai-02) is intended for those which aims to acquire an optimized supercomputer for AI or improve an existing eurohpc supercomputer by adding IA capacities and the implementation of associated AI factories.

The second wave of program winners

While the first seven European factories of AI will be deployed during this first half of 2025, in Finland, Germany, Greece, Italy, Luxembourg, Spain and Sweden, six new projects will be supported by a national and European combined investment of around 485 million euros. Each of them will help strengthen the European IA ecosystem while meeting the specific needs of their host country. AI Factory Bulgaria in Sofia (Brain ++) will focus on the development of Bulgarian language models and robotics AI, while Slaif in Slovenia will focus on the development of AI tools to optimize public services and businesses.

In Austria, the AI ​​project: AT will promote the integration of AI into manufacturing industries. As for Piast, in Poland, for his part, aims to accelerate the adoption of AI in different sectors, including space, robotics, life sciences, energy, or sustainability

The two projects selected in France and Germany will rely on the first exascal supercomputers of EuroHPC.

Jupiter Ai Factory, Jaif, will use Jupiter, the first European exascal supercomputer, hosted by the Jülich Supercalculculculculculculculculculculculculculus to support the development and deployment of AI solutions. The In Clut project an experimental platform for AI Development and Test Test: Jarvis (Jupiter Advanced Research Vehicle for Inference Services), an inference module designed to accelerate the execution and optimization of AI models.

AI Factory France (AI2F) is based on a decentralized approach involving a great diversity of actors. From startups to large industrial groups, including research laboratories, data centers, universities, and incubators, the project wishes to unite all stakeholders around innovative projects. The consortium is controlled by Génci (large national intensive calculation equipment), in partnership with academic actors, innovation and leading industrialists such as Inria, CNRS, CEA, CINES, CNRS, AMIAD, France Universités, Mission French Tech, Station-F, or Hub France IA,

France will provide its know-how and advanced calculation infrastructure:

  • Jean Zay to IDRIS (Institute of Development and Resources in Scientific IT;

  • Adastra at the CINES, (National IT Center for Higher Education);

  • Joliot-Curie at the TGCC (very large calculation center) of the CEA;

  • Alice Recoque. Called in honor of this French IT computers of the AI ​​deceased in 2021, this Exascale supercomputer, scheduled for 2026, will also be installed at the CEA TGCC.

Clara Chappaz, Minister Delegate to AI, underlines:

“France plays an engine role for the development of artificial intelligence in Europe. The AI ​​Factory France project, by the diversity of its proposed services, testifies to the remarkable dynamism of our artificial intelligence ecosystem. By providing private and public actors with data access, training, calculation time or even aid to financing, this exemplary project helps our companies to innovate and strengthen our European sovereignty.”