Campus AI to expand to 3 GW across France in consortium-backed push
Campus AI to expand to 3 GW across France, backed by BP France, Mistral, MGX and NVIDIA, creating sustainable compute hubs and thousands of jobs for Europe.
France’s Campus AI project will expand to deliver up to 3 gigawatts of computing capacity nationwide, the consortium announced at the “Choose France” summit, signaling a major boost for low‑carbon, large‑scale AI infrastructure. The announcement confirmed that Campus AI — the initiative linking BP France, Mistral, MGX and NVIDIA — aims to scale compute across multiple French sites while maintaining strict environmental and industrial standards. Officials said the move will strengthen France’s role as a European centre for responsible, high‑performance artificial intelligence infrastructure.
Campus AI targets 3 gigawatts of low‑carbon compute across France
Campus AI’s planned expansion will build on the flagship installation in Fougères and extend capacity to additional locations to reach about 3 GW of total power. Project partners described the phase‑two plan as the natural next step to turn a single campus into a network of distributed AI facilities across the country. The consortium says the multi‑site approach is intended to offer operating scale to European AI developers while anchoring value creation inside France.
Consortium and strategic partners driving the expansion
The joint venture pairs BP France, the public investment bank, with Mistral — a leading French generative AI company — and MGX, an international investor focused on advanced technologies, alongside NVIDIA for accelerated computing hardware. Project leaders emphasized that each partner brings complementary capabilities: capital and industrial reach, AI research and software, investment scale, and chip‑level compute expertise. This combination is presented as central to delivering robust, end‑to‑end AI infrastructure that can support both domestic and European demand.
Second site to double the initial investment and regional engagement
Officials said selecting a second campus site will substantially increase the initial investment committed by the consortium and its partners. Local authorities will be closely involved in site selection, mirroring the collaborative model used in the Fougères project where municipal and regional stakeholders worked with the Campus AI team to attract investment and jobs. The partners indicated that the second site will follow the same planning and permitting process, prioritising local economic benefits and supply‑chain participation.
Job creation and industrial partnerships across key sectors
The expansion is expected to generate thousands of jobs in different regions of France, with recruitment spanning construction, data centre operations, cooling and power engineering, and specialised AI operations roles. Consortium leaders also said they are coordinating with French industrial players in energy, battery production, semiconductors and electronics to strengthen domestic supply chains. The project’s industrial strategy aims to link compute capacity with existing manufacturing strengths to create a resilient European AI ecosystem.
Environmental design and low‑emission power strategy
Campus AI will adhere to strict environmental criteria, leveraging France’s low‑carbon electricity mix and implementing high‑efficiency facility designs. Partners detailed plans for water‑free cooling systems and energy‑optimised layouts to reduce operational footprints while scaling compute power. Project documentation emphasizes that each new gigawatt should contribute added value inside France, rather than merely routing energy or equipment through the country.
High‑level political backing and UAE‑France collaboration
The expansion was announced at the Choose France summit in the presence of President Emmanuel Macron and Khaldoon Khalifa Al Mubarak, reflecting the project’s diplomatic and strategic importance. Officials framed the initiative as part of a wider Franco‑UAE partnership to build technology capacity and industrial cooperation in advanced computing. The presence of senior UAE and French figures underlined the cross‑border investment and the political support backing Campus AI’s growth.
Thibaut Devosé, head of Campus AI, said the country has the research base and talent to lead Europe in AI, and that the project’s success will be measured by the value created within France for each gigawatt developed. He noted that the platform under development will be open to local industrial partners and designed to expand operational scope for French AI companies.
The Campus AI expansion seeks to combine large‑scale computing power with a sustainable, locally anchored industrial strategy, positioning France as a leading destination for low‑carbon AI factories. If the consortium proceeds as outlined, the programme will reshape capacity availability for European AI developers while supporting regional economic growth and technology sovereignty.
Longer‑term, project backers say they intend the multi‑site model to stimulate a competitive European AI supply chain that spans research, chip production, energy systems and advanced manufacturing. The rollout timetable and final site decisions will depend on regulatory approvals and negotiations with local authorities, but the announcement at the Choose France summit marks a substantive step toward building a nationwide, sustainable compute infrastructure for AI.