Free, Orange, and EDF: Towards an AI Gigafactory in France

A French Consortium for a European AI Gigafactory

A group of major French companies has recently come together to form an ambitious consortium aimed at establishing an AI Gigafactory in Europe, with a strong preference for France. This project is part of a desire to strengthen European digital sovereignty while developing cutting-edge technological infrastructure on French soil.

Launch of the AION Consortium

On May 20, eight key players from the industry, energy, and digital sectors, including Orange, Iliad, and EDF, announced the creation of the consortium "AION." This group aims to make France a prime candidate for the European AI Gigafactories program. The initiative seeks to equip Europe with an AI infrastructure that is sovereign, competitive, and environmentally friendly. The project encompasses the entire value chain, from supercomputing to low-carbon energy.

Roles of Consortium Members

Each member of the AION consortium plays a specific role in this ambitious project. Bull, for example, is responsible for providing the supercomputers, microprocessors, and quantum computing technologies necessary to operate the most advanced AI models. EDF is committed to supplying abundant, cost-effective, and low-carbon electricity. Orange and Scaleway, which will replace Microsoft in managing the health data of the French, are responsible for hosting data on cloud infrastructures fully under European control. Capgemini and Artefact focus on integrating AI into businesses, while Ardian and Iliad contribute their financial and digital expertise.

The project has already attracted around twenty technological, academic, and industrial partners. Among them are public research institutions like INRIA, companies specializing in open-source AI such as Hugging Face and Kyutai, as well as industrial players like Nokia and Schneider Electric. PariSanté Campus is also mentioned as a health actor involved in the project. This wide range of partners shows that the AION consortium extends well beyond large companies, highlighting the depth of the AI ecosystem in France.

The Consortium's Ambitions

The AION consortium has set ambitious goals. It aims to build an infrastructure capable of competing with the best in the world while mastering the entire production chain, from hardware to software, without dependence on foreign players. The project also prioritizes open-source technologies that are accessible to all and is committed to minimizing the environmental footprint of its infrastructures, which are inherently energy-intensive.

These ambitions address the criticisms often directed at Europe, which is seen as too dependent and fragmented in the technological field.

Why Choose France?

France stands out for its ability to provide abundant, low-cost, and low CO2 emission energy, thanks to its nuclear and hydroelectric energy mix. This gives it a significant advantage over other European countries in hosting an AI Gigafactory. Moreover, the country has a robust industrial fabric, with mature digital infrastructures and recognized expertise in managing large data centers and supercomputers.

Additionally, France boasts one of the most developed AI ecosystems in Europe, with internationally renowned research laboratories, innovative startups, and large companies integrating AI into their daily operations. Thomas Reynaud, CEO of Iliad, emphasizes that Europe can no longer afford to depend on foreign technological infrastructures, particularly those from the United States and China.

Christel Heydemann, CEO of Orange, stresses the need for a collective ambition for a powerful, open, and inclusive European AI. Etienne Grass, AI Director at Capgemini Invent, sees this consortium as an opportunity to unite European forces around a common project, essential for the continent's digital sovereignty.