Greece wants to be a big player in the fast changing field of artificial intelligence (AI). To do this, it plans to build a large data center just outside of Athens. Data4, a company based in Paris, recently said it would spend almost 300 million euros ($331 million) to build a state-of-the-art data center in Paiania. This will greatly improve Greece’s digital infrastructure.
Olivier Micheli, CEO of Data4, says that talks are currently going on with Greek banks and other lenders to get the money that is needed. Micheli talked about how important the project was, saying that it would make a big difference in both the local economy and the growth of the country’s digital environment. Data4 already runs data centers in six European countries, including Greece. By 2030, the company wants to grow even more, spending a total of 7 billion euros on new facilities.
The Paiania hub will be a big positive addition to the area. The company can also build two more data centers at the same site, which would bring the total investment up to about 500 million euros. But more talks with the local government are needed before the idea can move on to its next stages.
In today’s digital economy, data centers are very important because they provide the computing power needed to complete jobs that use a lot of resources. These tools are necessary for high-performance computers because they run advanced AI models like OpenAI’s GPT-4 and mine cryptocurrency. As AI is used more in many areas, data centers will be very important for meeting the growing need for processing power.
A lot of money has also been put into AI and data centers all over Europe by big tech companies like Microsoft. However, the high cost of energy in many European countries is still a problem for big data processes. Even with these problems, Europe has been aggressive in regulating AI. For example, the new EU AI Act controls the creation and use of AI systems across the continent.
Greece has also done things to make sure it stays ahead in the area of AI. The Greek government set up an AI advisory group in 2023 to work on a national plan. The committee’s main job was to look at the scientific and moral sides of AI. This fits with Europe’s bigger goal of developing AI in a responsible way, though some tech companies are worried about the rules and regulations.
Greece’s high energy costs may be a worry, but the opening of this new data center shows that the country wants to become a center for AI creation. This investment not only makes Greece’s digital infrastructure stronger, but it also makes it a key player in Europe’s growing AI environment.
