Paris, France – In a move poised to cement Europe’s place at the vanguard of the artificial intelligence revolution, a colossal AI Campus, projected to ultimately wield a staggering 1.4 GW of capacity, is set to rise in the heart of Paris. This ambitious undertaking, a grand alliance between the UAE’s investment titan MGX, France’s Bpifrance, homegrown AI champion Mistral AI, and tech giant NVIDIA, was unveiled with considerable fanfare at the recent Choose France Summit in Versailles.
Dubbed Europe’s largest AI Campus, this initiative isn’t merely about constructing a facility; it’s about forging a sovereign, sustainable, and globally competitive AI infrastructure designed to propel the continent into a new era of innovation. Following on the heels of broader AI cooperation agreements championed by UAE President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and French President Emmanuel Macron at the AI Action Summit in February 2025, this Parisian endeavour is a tangible manifestation of that shared vision.
Construction of this intelligence hub is slated to commence in the latter half of 2026, with the grand opening of operations anticipated by 2028. When complete, the Campus will serve as a full-spectrum AI ecosystem, supporting the entire lifecycle from the intricate dance of model training and inference to the seamless deployment of generative and applied AI systems.
“France has the ambition and capability to lead in this new AI era,” declared Ahmed Yahia, managing director and CEO of MGX, his words resonating with confidence. “At MGX, we see AI as the most transformative force of our time, and believe open, enduring infrastructure is key to unlocking its broad societal impact. The France AI Campus will accelerate breakthroughs across science, education, public services and business, fueling Europe’s next wave of innovation.”
The strategic location of the Campus, designed to seamlessly integrate with France’s rich research and innovation ecosystems, promises a nexus of advanced compute infrastructure, cutting-edge experimentation facilities, and real-world development environments. Its open platform will boast exascale-class computing, sovereign cloud integration, and low-carbon hyperscale data centers meticulously optimized for AI. The ripple effect is expected to be profound, supporting large-scale AI adoption across critical sectors such as healthcare, mobility, energy, finance, and manufacturing, all while bolstering Europe’s digital and climate sovereignty.
Nicolas Dufourcq, CEO of Bpifrance, underscored the significance, stating, “This initiative highlights France’s scientific excellence, capacity to deliver cutting-edge infrastructure, and its attractiveness to top talent. The Campus strengthens our technological sovereignty and reinforces France’s position as a global AI leader.”
The enthusiasm was echoed by Jensen Huang, CEO of NVIDIA, who enthused, “The AI Campus will be a transformational infrastructure for France – built in France, to fuel France in the era of AI. It will revolutionise science, education, and industry.”
Crucially, this ambitious undertaking is buttressed by a robust ecosystem of public and private partners. Confirmed collaborators include French construction giant Bouygues, low-carbon energy powerhouse EDF Group, and the esteemed Ecole Polytechnique, a member of Institut Polytechnique de Paris. Further strengthening the collaborative backbone are RTE, France’s national electricity transmission operator, known for its expedited connection approach for large consumers, and Sipartech, a French provider of high-capacity fiber infrastructure across Europe, set to deliver vital connectivity.
Arthur Mensch, co-founder and CEO of Mistral AI, emphasized the collaborative spirit: “Campus AI marks a pivotal step in reinforcing France’s position as a global leader in AI. By uniting top-tier expertise and cutting-edge solutions across the entire AI value chain, this initiative aims to foster sustainable AI ecosystems and create tangible benefits for companies, public institutions, and academic players.”
On the academic front, Ecole Polytechnique is set to play a pivotal role, contributing to the academic component by establishing a teaching and research chair. This will include funding PhDs and research projects, notably in collaboration with the Mohamed Bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence in the UAE – a testament to the international scope of this venture.
Laura Chaubard, director general of Ecole Polytechnique, articulated the institution’s commitment: “As a French leading academic and research institution, École Polytechnique is proud to contribute to the AI Campus by advancing cutting-edge research and training the next generation of AI leaders. This partnership reflects our shared commitment to fostering international collaboration and strengthening Europe’s capacity for sovereign, responsible, and high-impact AI innovation.”
As the construction date looms on the horizon, the promise of the AI Campus paints a vivid picture of a future where France, and indeed Europe, stands ready to harness the full, transformative power of artificial intelligence. The seeds of this technological renaissance are being sown in Paris, promising a harvest of innovation that could redefine the global landscape.
