Spain is stepping up its investment in artificial intelligence. The government has announced that it is allocating €719 million to the construction of a national AI gigafactory , which is intended to boost the country’s technological independence whilst supporting the development of systems compliant with European regulations.
The project is part of a broader European Union strategy aimed at creating its own computing infrastructure for advanced artificial intelligence models. Brussels plans to allocate up to €20 billion to build several such centres as part of the InvestAI programme. The gigafactories are intended to provide Europe with access to the computing power necessary to train the most advanced AI models, thereby reducing dependence on suppliers from the US and China.
The Spanish government will take a stake in a company set up to submit the national bid in the European tender. The proposal is expected to cover several locations, including areas in Catalonia and Madrid. According to the authorities, the investment is intended not only to increase access to computing infrastructure, but also to help local businesses develop innovations and improve their competitiveness on the international market.
Óscar López, Minister for Digital Transformation, emphasised that high-performance computing systems remain a costly and difficult-to-access resource today. The new infrastructure is intended to facilitate access to such resources for Spanish scientists and research centres.
According to available information, the total value of the project could reach as much as €4 billion thanks to the involvement of private capital. Companies mentioned as being interested in participating in the project include Telefónica, ACS, Santander, Multiverse and Submer.
Growing investment in data centres and AI infrastructure shows that European countries are increasingly treating computing power as a strategic resource. For Spain, the project represents an opportunity to consolidate its position as one of Europe’s key centres for the development of artificial intelligence, and for the EU as a whole, it marks another step towards building a more self-sufficient technological ecosystem.
