Greece is boldly moving into a digital future with a significant proposal to establish a major European AI Gigafactory in Western Macedonia. The project, spearheaded by Greece’s Public Power Corporation, aims to position Greece as a leader in AI and digital innovation in the region.

The proposed infrastructure is considered a Greek “emblematic investment” crucial for bolstering Europe’s technological autonomy and enhancing the continent’s AI competitiveness.

The European Union is planning the creation of a total of four to five AI Gigafactories, as part of its wider €200 billion Invest AI initiative, with 65% of the total investment expected to come from the private sector.

These AI Gigafactories train advanced AI models, such as Large Language Models (LLMs) similar to those found in ChatGPT, Gemini, Grok, Anthropic and Claude.

Gigafactories leverage immense computational power, relying on approximately 100,000 specialized AI processors and hundreds of megawatts of power to run—about as much as a medium sized city.

Locating the AI Gigafactory in Western Macedonia offers strategic advantages for Greece. It would utilize existing high-voltage power infrastructure and renewable energy sources and transform Western Macedonia’s former lignite areas (such as Ptolemaida and Kozani) into hubs of clean energy and digital technology.

The AI Gigafactory is also expected to create a high-tech ecosystem, generate new highly specialized jobs and provide economic opportunities for local communities.

Cover Photo Credit / Panumas Nikomkai (Getty Images)