The European Commission has unveiled its ambitious AI Continent Action Plan, aiming to bolster the EU's artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure and secure its global leadership in the field. Central to this plan is the creation of a large-scale AI computing infrastructure, with a focus on building AI data centers and gigafactories.

The plan outlines the establishment of five AI data centers, each equipped with approximately 100,000 AI chips, significantly increasing the capacity for AI model training, a four-fold enhancement over existing infrastructure. In addition, the InvestAI initiative is set to mobilize €20 billion to support the development of AI gigafactories—large-scale facilities that will host massive computing power and data centers to train complex AI models. These investments are crucial to the future of AI and semiconductor technology in the EU, enabling innovation in industries like healthcare, automotive, and science.

A key part of the plan is the EU's commitment to addressing the semiconductor procurement needs for these AI centers, with an additional €10 billion earmarked for the construction of 13 smaller AI data centers. These data centers are expected to begin operations by 2026, providing further momentum to the EU's semiconductor and AI ambitions. However, the selection of sites for the centers, particularly in Germany, remains a point of negotiation.

Beyond infrastructure, the AI Continent Action Plan also emphasizes the standardization of data, with data labs within the AI centers designed to streamline data collection and organization from both research institutions and industrial partners. By 2025, a Data Union Strategy will be launched to create a unified, cross-border data-sharing protocol, fostering AI innovation and improving access to high-quality datasets.

The EU's AI strategy also highlights the current challenge: only 13.5% of EU companies have adopted AI technology. To address this gap, the European Digital Innovation Hubs (EDIHs) and AI factories will serve as catalysts, pushing for wider integration of AI into strategic sectors such as healthcare and public services.

The Commission's strategy also focuses on AI talent development, with plans to attract and retain global AI expertise through international recruitment initiatives. This will be complemented by educational and training programs aimed at developing the next generation of AI specialists.

As the EU gears up to make bold strides in AI and semiconductor development, this comprehensive AI Continent Action Plan marks a significant investment in both technology and talent, with the potential to propel Europe to the forefront of the AI and semiconductor industries.