TL;DR
- Nvidia and Abu Dhabi’s investment fund MGX are planning to build Europe’s largest AI computing center near Paris.
- The project is a billion-dollar investment and represents a significant step in France’s tech ambition.
- The data center is expected to be operational in 2028 and will have a capacity of 1.4 gigawatts.
Billion-dollar project with Mistral AI on board
Nvidia and Abu Dhabi’s investment fund MGX are partnering with French firms to establish what they say will be Europe’s largest artificial intelligence data center campus, advancing French and Emirati ambitions in the field. This gigantic AI computing center, to be built near Paris, is a billion-dollar project that underlines France’s tech ambition.
The initiative is part of broader AI cooperation agreements established in February between the UAE and France, with the UAE planning to invest up to €50 billion in French data centers. The data center campus will be built in partnership with French state-owned investment firm Bpifrance and national AI champion Mistral AI. The announcement was made at the Choose France summit in Versailles, attended by French President Emmanuel Macron and other high-ranking officials.
State-of-the-art compute infrastructure with 1.4 gigawatts capacity
According to sources, the data center will have a capacity of 1.4 gigawatts and will be powered by Nvidia’s high-speed links and semiconductors from other providers. The project is expected to be operational in 2028, with the first phase being completed in the same year. The data center will provide state-of-the-art compute infrastructure, reinforcing France’s leadership in sovereign AI capabilities and energy-efficient AI infrastructure.
The deal marries the UAE’s desire to diversify its economy and extend its political influence with France’s effort to develop so-called AI sovereignty in Europe. Macron had previously announced €109 billion of investments in AI infrastructure as part of a push to compete with the US and China. Other partners in the AI campus include conglomerate Bouygues SA, energy operator EDF Group, and science and engineering university Ecole Polytechnique.
In related news, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang outlined plans to let customers deploy rivals’ chips in data centers built around its technology, a move that acknowledges the growth of in-house semiconductor development by major clients. This announcement was made at the Computex event in Taiwan, where Huang also showcased Nvidia’s new NVLink Fusion system, which allows for more customized artificial intelligence infrastructure.
MGX one of the investors behind Trump’s $100 billion AI investment plan
MGX has previously backed OpenAI and xAI, and is among entities helping to bankroll US President Donald Trump’s $100 billion AI investment plan. The company is overseen by one of the world’s most influential dealmakers, Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan, who also chairs G42, the Emirati tech conglomerate that will be building a 5-gigawatt data center in the UAE with OpenAI.
As the use of artificial intelligence continues to grow, the need for advanced data centers to support this technology is becoming increasingly important. The construction of Europe’s largest AI data center in France is a significant step forward in this regard, and is expected to have a major impact on the development of AI in the region.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the partnership between Nvidia, MGX, and French firms to build Europe’s largest AI data center campus is a significant development in the field of artificial intelligence. The project highlights the growing importance of AI and the need for advanced data centers to support this technology. As the use of AI continues to grow, it will be interesting to see how this project evolves and what impact it will have on the development of AI in Europe and beyond.
References
[^1]: Omar El Chmouri (May 19, 2025). “Nvidia, UAE’s MGX Plan to Build Europe’s Largest Data Center“. Bloomberg. Retrieved May 20, 2025.
[^2]: Bloomberg (May 19, 2025). “Nvidia and Abu Dhabi investment vehicle MGX are partnering with French firms to establish what they say will be Europe’s largest artificial intelligence data center campus, advancing French and Emirati ambitions in the field“. X. Retrieved May 20, 2025.
[^3]: Ground News (May 19, 2025). “Nvidia, UAE’s MGX Plan to Build Europe’s Largest Data Center“. Ground News. Retrieved May 20, 2025.
