In a significant move to bolster Europe’s AI capabilities, the Council of the European Union has approved an expansion of the EuroHPC Joint Undertaking. This initiative, aimed at enhancing the continent’s supercomputing infrastructure, includes the development of new AI factories designed to support AI startups and innovative projects across Europe.
Image Credits: Dušan Cvetanović
The amendment to the current EuroHPC regulation, announced on May 24, builds upon the organisation’s efforts since its inception in 2018. EuroHPC currently oversees nine supercomputers across Europe, which are crucial for high-performance computing and AI applications. The new AI factories will provide additional infrastructure to facilitate the development, testing, and deployment of large-scale AI models.
Willy Borsus, vice-president of Wallonia and minister for economy, research, and innovation, emphasised the collective achievement, stating, “Unity is the strength of Europe, and together we have achieved great goals. We have seen this with the development of our world-class supercomputers, and now we want to boost the outcomes of these powerful machines through trustworthy AI.”
The new regulation stipulates that hosting entities can receive up to 50% of the acquisition and operational costs of the AI supercomputers from the EU. These entities will eventually gain ownership of the machines five years after acceptance testing. The AI supercomputers will primarily focus on developing, testing, evaluating, and validating AI training models and emerging AI applications, thereby advancing AI solutions within the union.
This legislative change is part of a broader AI initiative championed by the EU’s president, Ursula von der Leyen, who has underscored the importance of AI for Europe’s future. The EU has been at the forefront of developing comprehensive AI policies, evidenced by the passage of the landmark AI Act in March 2024. This act represents the world’s first comprehensive set of regulations aimed at ensuring the safe and ethical development of AI technologies.
The expansion of EuroHPC is expected to significantly boost Europe’s position in the global AI landscape, providing startups and small to medium-sized enterprises with the resources necessary to innovate and compete. The council has called for the EuroHPC Governing Board to establish special access conditions for these AI supercomputers, prioritising these smaller entities to drive AI advancements across the region.
Read More: AI: Council reaches political agreement on the use of super-computing for AI development