Spain backs bid for European AI gigafactory

Spain has advanced its push to become a major European hub for AI and advanced computing infrastructure. The Council of Ministers has approved a €300 million voluntary contribution to the European High Performance Computing Joint Undertaking, known as EuroHPC, which supports Europe’s AI factories and future AI gigafactories.

The Ministry for Digital Transformation and Public Administration says the funding is central to Spain’s bid to host one of the EU’s first AI gigafactories. The government sees large-scale computing access as increasingly important for researchers, universities, startups and businesses developing advanced AI systems and competing in an AI-driven economy.

Spain already plays a role in Europe’s supercomputing network through AI factories at the Barcelona Supercomputing Center and the Galician Supercomputing Center. The MareNostrum 5 supercomputer has supported work in areas including genomic research, climate projects and digital twin initiatives, while the new funding is also intended to strengthen Spain’s position in quantum technologies.

The bid aligns with Europe’s broader effort to expand sovereign computing capacity as demand for AI training infrastructure rises globally. Spain hopes a gigafactory would attract investment, support innovation, build domestic capabilities and reinforce Europe’s technological autonomy.