Spain has earmarked €719 million ($834 million) to build an AI gigafactory as part of efforts to reduce reliance on foreign technology and ensure that AI development is aligned with European regulations, the government said on Tuesday, EDnews report via Reuters.
The funding will make the government a shareholder in a company established to submit Spain's bid under the European Commission's InvestAI call for proposals, which could unlock additional financing.
Spain plans to submit a multi-site proposal that includes locations in Catalonia and Madrid.
The project is intended to provide Spain and Europe with advanced computing capacity, while helping domestic companies innovate and strengthen their competitiveness, the government said.
Digital Transformation Minister Oscar Lopez said investment in high-performance computing would give Spanish scientists access to infrastructure that is expensive and limited in availability.
($1 = 0.8620 euros)
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