France and the United Arab Emirates have signed a framework agreement to develop a 1-gigawatt artificial intelligence (AI) data center, with investments ranging between $30 billion and $50 billion, according to the French presidency.
The announcement followed a meeting between French President Emmanuel Macron and UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in Paris on Thursday, ahead of an upcoming AI summit that will bring together representatives from around 100 countries. The February 10-11 event aims to highlight this tool’s transformative potential while positioning France and Europe as key players in a field currently dominated by the US and China.
In a joint statement, both leaders emphasized their commitment to building a strategic partnership. Their collaboration will focus on expanding these investments in France and the UAE, acquiring advanced computing chips, developing state-of-the-art data centers, nurturing talent, and establishing virtual data embassies to support sovereign AI and cloud infrastructure in both nations.
Further details on the initial phase of investments will be revealed at the Choose France summit later this year. Meanwhile, the French government has identified 35 locations across the country suitable for hosting AI-focused data centers.
