French President Emmanuel Macron has announced a €109 billion ($112 billion USD) AI investment package aimed at solidifying France’s role in the global AI race.
The funding, which includes commitments from private investors, government agencies, and foreign backers, was unveiled ahead of the Artificial Intelligence Action Summit in Paris.
A Response to the U.S. “Stargate” Initiative
Macron compared the scale of France’s AI investment to the $500 billion “Stargate” project in the U.S., led by OpenAI and SoftBank. While France’s population is five times smaller than the U.S., its AI funding is being positioned as proportionally equivalent.
Major contributors to the €109 billion include:
- €30–50 billion from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and MGX
- €20 billion from Canada’s Brookfield Asset Management
- €10 billion from Bpifrance, France’s state-backed investment bank
- €3 billion from French telecom giant Iliad
Additional investments are expected from Orange, Thales, and other French technology firms.
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Building AI Infrastructure with Data Centers
Most of the funding will go toward building AI-focused data centers, a critical piece of AI infrastructure. This follows a broader trend, with governments and private enterprises worldwide rushing to secure energy resources for AI model training.
Mistral AI, France’s most prominent AI startup, has also announced plans to invest billions of euros in a new AI cluster in Essonne, reinforcing France’s commitment to developing homegrown AI capabilities.
Leveraging Nuclear Power for AI Growth
France, which generates over 70% of its electricity from nuclear energy, is uniquely positioned to power energy-intensive AI operations with low-carbon electricity. Macron highlighted that France exported 90 terawatt-hours (TWh) of electricity in 2024, and one gigawatt of nuclear energy will be dedicated to AI computing by 2026.
“We produce some of the most decarbonized, controllable, and safe electricity in the world,” Macron stated. “France has an opportunity to lead in AI while maintaining its energy independence.”
Keeping AI Innovation in Europe
France’s AI ecosystem has seen startups relocate to the U.S., including Mistral AI, Owkin, and Wandercraft. Macron acknowledged these challenges but argued that Europe remains competitive in AI research and development. He cited DeepSeek, a European AI model, as proof that smaller-scale but efficient AI models can still rival those developed by OpenAI and Meta.
France’s AI Future
The €109 billion investment is one of the largest AI funding commitments in Europe, putting France at the forefront of AI infrastructure, model development, and sustainability. By combining government incentives, private capital, and energy efficiency, France is positioning itself as a global leader in AI and cloud computing for the next decade.
