Press Launch
Within the coming years, the competitiveness of EU economies will instantly depend upon their skill to entry huge computing energy that’s obtainable, reasonably priced and sovereign. The problem is industrial, monetary and strategic: enabling European firms to coach, deploy and function their AI fashions underneath managed situations when it comes to efficiency, value and sovereignty.
That is exactly the intention of the venture put ahead by the AION consortium.
Mobilizing French excellence to construct world-leading AI infrastructure
In response to the speedy adoption of AI and the explosion in demand for computing energy, AION brings collectively all the crucial expertise required for creating new-generation European infrastructure.
The consortium leverages the complementary strengths of a large spectrum of benchmark gamers protecting your entire worth chain: supercomputers, microprocessors, quantum computing options and demanding infrastructure, experience in power, cloud platforms, sovereign AI and the event and operation of datacenter infrastructure, in addition to AI deployment capabilities, funding capability and industrial know-how.
AION can even be capable of draw on a broad ecosystem made up of technological, educational and industrial companions, in addition to person firms resembling Le Crédit Agricole, Equans, Future4Care, GENCI, Hugging Face, INRIA, Kyutai, LightOn, Multiverse Computing, Nokia, Opcore, Quandela, PariSanté Campus, Schneider Electrical, SiPearl, Sopra Steria, Verne, VSORA and ZML.
France – a strategic alternative for internet hosting a European AI Gigafactory
France has distinctive strengths for internet hosting infrastructure of this magnitude. It has plentiful, reasonably priced, sovereign and low-carbon electrical energy due to its power combine that’s primarily made up of nuclear and hydraulic energy, in addition to sturdy digital infrastructure and acknowledged experience throughout the entire worth chain, notably in information facilities, cloud companies and high-performance computing.
France has additionally established itself as some of the dynamic AI ecosystems in Europe due to the standard of its analysis, the emergence of world-class tech gamers, and a dense pool of scientific and industrial expertise. From analysis labs to start-ups, by to main end-user firms, it brings collectively the complete vary of expertise wanted to construct a aggressive AI business on a European scale.
Internet hosting an AI Gigafactory would allow France to supply all of the situations for strengthening European tech sovereignty, accelerating AI adoption by personal firms and public-sector gamers, and driving competitiveness and innovation.
An ambition constructed on 4 pillars
The AION consortium is predicated on 4 elementary pillars:
- Efficiency: deploying world-class AI infrastructure to serve the European financial system.
- Belief: reinforcing Europe’s strategic autonomy through full management over the AI worth chain – from {hardware} to open supply software program – due to the help of sovereign gamers.
- Openness: selling using open supply applied sciences, in addition to partnerships to strengthen the European ecosystem.
- Duty: creating AI for the good thing about European analysis, companies and residents with a selected give attention to containing its environmental footprint.
An open consortium to deliver collectively the European ecosystem
The alliance introduced in the present day marks the start line of a venture aimed toward bringing collectively all French and European gamers who’re prepared and keen to contribute to this shared industrial ambition.
“As an unbiased European participant in information and AI, Artefact is uniquely positioned to watch the speedy development in demand for computing energy, in addition to the dearth of enough sovereign options. We’re technology-agnostic and our precedence is to supply our clients with really resilient options primarily based on three dimensions of sovereignty: know-how, operations and information. There’s no time for firms to attend – the infrastructure of the long run must be constructed in the present day. By becoming a member of the AION consortium, Artefact will be capable of deploy probably the most bold AI use circumstances for its clients, inside a totally sovereign framework, making certain freedom, safety and resilience.” Vincent Luciani, Government President of Artefact
“It’s time to construct a European AI ecosystem collectively, primarily based on world-class European infrastructure and underpinned by France’s excellent low-carbon power capabilities. United by this ambition, we’re delighted to be teaming up with our pals on the iliad Group and the Orange group to affix and steer the AION consortium, which can even be supported by different main industrial and tech gamers. Alongside our companions, we’re proud to be placing our industrial and monetary experience to the service of creating sustainable and resilient AI computing capability on a big scale.” Benoît Gaillochet, Head of Infrastructure Europe at Ardian
“This initiative is especially necessary for Bull in its capability as the one participant able to guaranteeing a largely European provide chain for AI, cloud and supercomputer infrastructure. We see AION as a pure extension of our strategic pathway, bringing further computing capabilities devoted to simulation and AI, creating new AI-optimized {hardware} applied sciences, and deploying our software program platform and information science companies to allow the manufacturing of commercial AI use circumstances. By means of AION, we’re reaffirming our dedication to strengthening Europe’s skill to develop and function next-generation AI and cloud infrastructure, whereas laying the foundations for a extra resilient, aggressive and unbiased know-how ecosystem.” Emmanuel Le Roux, CEO of Bull
“Europe has every little thing it takes to write down some of the inspiring chapters of the AI revolution: excellence in analysis, industrial champions, low-carbon power and values primarily based on the belief and sovereignty of the European system. What was lacking was the power to deliver collectively these strengths primarily based on a shared venture that may rise to the challenges at stake. With AION, this purpose is achievable. It’s a French enterprise, led collectively, for the good thing about the entire of Europe. By becoming a member of this consortium, Capgemini is committing to place all of its expertise and its international community to the service of a trigger that’s larger than us all individually: constructing sovereign and sustainable AI infrastructure that’s open to your entire European ecosystem. As a worldwide chief in information and AI-powered enterprise transformation, Capgemini has a particular accountability on this venture. Creating European AI gigafactories means providing our shoppers the opportunity of utilizing sovereign options by integrating the newest technological advances with no trade-off between efficiency and management. Technological sovereignty can’t be decreed – it needs to be constructed, brick by brick, with the correct companions. We’re proud to be part of this journey.” Etienne Grass, Chief AI Officer at Capgemini Invent
“France has main strengths to cleared the path within the growth of AI infrastructure, together with competitively-priced, sovereign and low-carbon electrical energy. With this consortium, we’re embracing a shared ambition to construct a world-class European AI gigafactory primarily based in France, and EDF intends to totally contribute to this strategic momentum for Europe.” Beatrice Bigois, Group Senior Government Vice-President, Clients & Vitality Providers, at EDF
“In a world the place computing capability is turning into a lever of energy, Europe can’t enable itself to depend upon infrastructure designed, financed and operated elsewhere. With AION, our intention is to unite a variety of main gamers to construct world-class European AI infrastructure primarily based in France. AION has unprecedented technological clout, bringing collectively the perfect of French and European digital, industrial and power experience, and the iliad Group intends to contribute totally to the venture.” Thomas Reynaud, Chief Government Officer of the iliad Group
“France has distinctive belongings to form the subsequent chapter of European AI – front-ranking digital infrastructure, low-carbon power, and some of the dynamic analysis and innovation ecosystems in Europe. For Orange, becoming a member of the AION consortium displays our robust conviction that Europe wants collective motion to create a robust, open and inclusive European AI to drive the continent’s competitiveness. With its sovereign cloud and trusted AI capabilities, Orange brings to this venture what lies on the core of its id: a trusted participant that connects, secures and delivers sovereign digital companies for firms, small companies and people.” Christel Heydemann, CEO of the Orange Group
“I’m delighted that the AION initiative launched final 12 months is continuous to realize traction and entice broad help. Inside this richly numerous industrial alliance, Scaleway will give attention to its core experience of offering an open and interoperable sovereign cloud and AI platform serving companies, researchers and public-sector gamers. I’m satisfied that this venture, which incorporates leaders throughout your entire worth chain, will assist consolidate the foundations of a European AI sector constructed on openness, management and belief.” Damien Lucas, CEO of Scaleway
