France Leads AI Projects in Europe

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Key Takeaways

1In 2025, France attracted 53 foreign projects related to artificial intelligence, outpacing its European neighbors.

2The country recorded a 26% increase in AI projects compared to the previous year, despite a global slowdown in investments.

3France's low-carbon energy mix, supported by nuclear and renewables, enhances its attractiveness for data centers.

💡Why it matters — France is positioning itself as a European leader in AI, but it must overcome competitiveness challenges to maintain this advantage.

France, European Leader in AI Projects by 2025

According to the EY Attractiveness Barometer 2026, France welcomed 53 foreign projects related to artificial intelligence in 2025, surpassing its European neighbors. This momentum is supported by the development of data centers and low-carbon energy, in line with the AI Summit and the €109 billion investment plan announced the previous year.

For the seventh consecutive year, France leads European countries in attracting foreign investment projects, with a total of 852 projects. It outpaces the United Kingdom, which attracted 730, and Germany, with 548 projects.

A Context of Global Slowdown

Despite this leading position, France experienced a 17% decline in the number of projects compared to 2024, a drop more pronounced than that observed in the United Kingdom, Germany, and across Europe.

However, in the technology sector, France stands out particularly. It recorded a 26% increase in AI-related projects compared to the previous year. Among these projects, 36% pertain to data centers, highlighting the importance of infrastructure in France's attractiveness.

Low-Carbon Energy, a Major Asset

The increasing demand for computing and hosting due to AI development brings energy issues to the forefront. Data centers, which are large consumers of electricity, seek countries that offer capacity, stability, and a credible low-carbon trajectory.

France benefits from a structural advantage due to its decarbonized electricity mix, primarily powered by nuclear and renewable energies. This asset becomes a crucial economic and environmental argument for companies looking to reduce the carbon footprint of their digital infrastructures.

Initiatives and Perspectives

The AI Action Summit, held in Paris in February 2025, reinforced this momentum. Emmanuel Macron announced €109 billion in private investments in AI, with a focus on data centers.

Recently, several companies, including Iliad, Ardian, Artefact, Bull, Capgemini, EDF, Orange, and Scaleway, formed the AION consortium. This consortium aims to submit a French bid for the European gigafactories program for AI, with a €10 billion project to create a one-gigawatt computing infrastructure in France.

Challenges to Overcome

Despite these advantages, France still faces challenges in attracting large industrial projects and R&D centers. According to EY, cost competitiveness, administrative simplicity, regulatory stability, and clarity of public action are perceived as handicaps by the executives surveyed.

The United Kingdom, for its part, maintains an edge in other technological segments. While France's lead in AI is a positive signal, it remains partial in the European competition to attract technological investments.