Microsoft intends to spend over $4 billion on developing cloud infrastructure and artificial intelligence in France.
The American company has announced its largest investment in France during its 41-year history in the country.
The company aims to enhance the adoption of digital technology in France by developing artificial intelligence and cloud technologies, with the goal of increasing the country’s competitiveness and strengthening the French economy and job market in the long term.
Through these investments, Microsoft contributes to implementing the French national strategy for artificial intelligence and supports the recent recommendations of the French Artificial Intelligence Committee, aiming to enhance France’s role as a leading country in the development and use of smart technologies.
Microsoft stated in a press release that it aims to train one million people and support up to 2500 startups in Europe by 2027.
Earlier this year, Microsoft announced a partnership and investment deal worth €15 million in the French startup company, Mistral specializing in artificial intelligence, competing with OpenAI.
France has made the development of artificial intelligence a major focus by supporting national funds and local billionaires, Mistral and Qoetai. A non-profit organization for artificial intelligence research was established under the name Mistral last year.
Microsoft’s announcement comes as part of the “Choose France” summit organized by President Emmanuel Macron, aiming to attract foreign companies and transform France into a financial center for the European Union.
The Élysée Palace stated that another major American technology company, Amazon, has committed to spending €1.2 billion on infrastructure and computing.
At the same time, Microsoft is making significant investments worldwide, working to boost spending through the Azure cloud platform and related artificial intelligence tools.
In February, Microsoft announced a €3.2 billion investment in Germany. In April, the company invested $1.5 billion in the G42 artificial intelligence company in Abu Dhabi.
Microsoft faces increasing scrutiny for antitrust issues in cloud computing services and investments in artificial intelligence technologies, including transfers exceeding $10 billion that the company allocated to support OpenAI.
