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- The AI cluster will be located in the Paris region and will have a full operational capacity of 1.4 gigawatts.
- It supports the UAE-France AI partnership launched by Presidents Mohamed bin Zayed and Emmanuel Macron.
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The cluster will host exascale computing, sovereign cloud integration, and low-carbon hyperscale data centers optimized for AI.
On the sidelines of the “Choose France” summit in Versailles, MGX, Bpifrance, Mistral AI, and NVIDIA announced a joint venture to establish Europe’s largest artificial intelligence (AI) cluster, to be built in the Paris region with an expected capacity of 1.4 gigawatts at full scale.
The project is the result of strategic cooperation agreements in AI backed by H.H. Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates, and President Emmanuel Macron of France, following their meeting at the AI for Work Summit in February 2025.
The AI cluster represents a foundational step in creating a sovereign, sustainable, and globally competitive AI infrastructure across Europe.
The announcement was made in the presence of Eric Lombard, French Minister of Economy, Finance, Industrial and Digital Sovereignty, and H.E. Khaldoon Khalifa Al Mubarak, Chairman of the Executive Affairs Authority and Board Member of the UAE’s Advanced Technology Research Council.
Supporting the Full AI Lifecycle
The partners will collaborate to build the first dedicated AI cluster in Europe designed to support the entire AI lifecycle—from model training and inference to the deployment of generative and applied AI systems. Strategically located, the cluster will integrate seamlessly with France’s innovation ecosystem, offering advanced compute infrastructure, experimentation labs, and real-world development environments.
The open platform will feature exascale computing, sovereign cloud capabilities, and low-carbon, AI-optimized hyperscale data centers. It will help scale AI adoption across sectors such as healthcare, mobility, energy, finance, and manufacturing, while reinforcing Europe’s digital and climate sovereignty.
Official Comments
Ahmad Yahia Al Idrissi, CEO of MGX, said:
“France has both the ambition and the capability to lead in the new AI era. At MGX, we believe AI is the most transformative force of our time—and that open, sustainable infrastructure is vital to realizing its full societal potential. This AI cluster will accelerate breakthroughs in science, education, public services, and business, strengthening Europe’s innovation journey.”
Nicolas Dufourcq, CEO of Bpifrance, stated:
“Bpifrance is proud to co-create this transformational AI cluster with MGX. This initiative reflects France’s scientific excellence and its ability to offer advanced infrastructure while attracting global talent. The project will enhance our technological sovereignty and France’s leadership in AI.”
Arthur Mensch, Co-Founder and CEO of Mistral AI, commented:
“This cluster is a major step forward for France’s leadership in AI. By aligning advanced expertise across the AI value chain, this initiative aims to build sustainable ecosystems and deliver tangible benefits to enterprises, public institutions, and academia. We are proud to play a central role in driving adoption, innovation, and AI excellence in France.”
Jensen Huang, Founder and CEO of NVIDIA, said:
“This new AI cluster in France is a transformational infrastructure project for the nation. It will power France’s AI vision and fuel groundbreaking advancements across science, education, and industry.”
Laura Chaubard, Director General of École Polytechnique, added:
“As a leading academic and research institution, we’re proud to support the cluster through cutting-edge research and the training of future AI leaders. This partnership demonstrates our joint commitment to global cooperation in AI and to building strong European capabilities for responsible and sovereign AI technologies.”
Strategic Partners & Ecosystem Support
The initiative is backed by a coalition of industrial, academic, and government entities, including:
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Bouygues Group (construction, energy, telecoms)
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EDF (low-carbon energy leader)
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École Polytechnique (Institut Polytechnique de Paris)
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Université Mohammed bin Zayed for Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI) (UAE-based AI research university)
RTE, the French electricity transmission operator, is also involved to accelerate high-capacity energy grid connections at pre-qualified sites, while Sipartech, Europe’s leading fiber infrastructure provider, will support the digital backbone of the AI cluster with advanced network integration.
Project Timeline
Construction of the cluster is scheduled to begin in H2 2026, with operational launch expected by 2028.
The joint venture reinforces France’s and the UAE’s shared vision of AI as a driver of sustainable growth, strategic autonomy, and future-ready infrastructure.
