GPS News
TECH SPACE
Canada's Brookfield to pour EUR20 bn into French AI infrastructure
Canada's Brookfield to pour EUR20 bn into French AI infrastructure
by AFP Staff Writers
Paris (AFP) Feb 8, 2025

Canadian fund Brookfield will invest 20 billion euros ($21 billion) by 2030 to help build data centres crucial to artificial intelligence development in France, a source close to the deal told AFP on Saturday.

Confirming reports in the La Tribune Dimanche newspaper, the announcement comes as Paris prepares to play host to a global summit of political and tech industry leaders on the technology on Monday and Tuesday.

With the world hurrying to stay abreast of the AI race dominated by the United States and China, countries are competing to build the vast buildings housing the swathes of data needed to train AI models up.

According to La Tribune Dimanche, 15 of the 20 million euros are earmarked for erecting new centres, with a "mega-project" in the northern city of Cambrai as its crown jewel.

That deal was inked in on January 31 by French President Emmanuel Macron and Brookfield's CEO Bruce Flatt, the paper reported.

The other five million euros are to be spent on "associated infrastructure", notably the energy generators needed for the data centres, which consume massive amounts of electricity.

Already on Thursday, the French presidency said that the United Arab Emirates would build a giant data centre in France for a total outlay of between 30 and 50 billion euros.

Once built, that AI "campus" would be the largest in Europe, but its location is yet to be set out.

France currently boasts more than 300 data centres.

That would make it the world's sixth-largest host country, after the United States, Germany, Britain, China and Canada, according to a report by the French Economic, Social and Environmental Council.

The summit Monday and Tuesday comes weeks after US President Donald Trump's administration trailed a $500-billion plan for investment into AI infrastructure led by OpenAI and its backer SoftBank.

fff-mch/sbk/jj

BROOKFIELD ASSET MANAGEMENT

SOFTBANK GROUP

Related Links
Space Technology News - Applications and Research

Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters
Tweet

RELATED CONTENT
The following news reports may link to other Space Media Network websites.
TECH SPACE
Big Tech's AI spending rattles markets
San Francisco (AFP) Feb 7, 2025
E-commerce giant Amazon reported strong earnings Thursday but, like its big tech peers Microsoft and Google, saw its stock price fall on concerns over high AI investment costs. The mounting expenses of data-intensive artificial intelligence and its infrastructure have cast a shadow over this earnings season, with only Facebook owner Meta winning Wall Street's approval. Meta's stock surged 18 percent in January as investors endorsed its AI strategy. Amazon's AWS cloud division, along with ri ... read more

TECH SPACE
Hong Kong scientists fight to save fragrant incense trees

Drying and rewetting cycles amplify soil CO2 emissions

French cognac exports to China slump as tariffs bite; Scottish whisky makers fear return of Trump tariffs

Study examines how African farmers are adapting to mountain climate change

TECH SPACE
Smaller but Stronger Relaxor Films Reveal Performance Sweet Spot

China's SMIC says 2024 profit down 45.4% from last year

Neutrons Reveal Magnetic Spiral Structure in Layered Perovskites for Future Quantum Technologies

New AI Function on the Horizon Thanks to Electrically Programmable Spintronic Device

TECH SPACE
Russian airspace closure raises CO2 emissions from flying: study

Urban Sky Secures $30 Million in Series B Round to Advance Stratospheric Innovation

Taiwan says detects six Chinese balloons near island

France delivers first Mirage 2000 fighter jets to Ukraine: minister

TECH SPACE
Chinese auto giant BYD to integrate DeepSeek, broaden self-driving tech

Toyota announces Lexus EV plant in Shanghai

Norway nears 100% goal of all-electric cars

EU vows 'action plan' for beleaguered auto sector

TECH SPACE
Online shopping giants bet on AI to curb clothes returns

US or China? Latin America under pressure to pick a side

UK and China revive stalled talks during London meeting

China steel body says US tariffs to have 'adverse impact' on industry

TECH SPACE
Green light for AI-driven mapping of New Zealand's forests

Launch of the most comprehensive European wetland map

King Charles III teams up with Amazon for documentary

Indonesia deforestation rises for third year running: NGO

TECH SPACE
Validation technique could help scientists make more accurate forecasts

SFL Missions Inc. Secures CSA Contract for HAWC Satellite Concept Study

Rocket Lab and iQPS finalize arrangement for four Electron missions

Finland and ESA join forces to establish groundbreaking Earth observation supersite

TECH SPACE
Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters




The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us.