Belgium has officially submitted an application for an artificial intelligence (AI) factory in the country as part of the InvestAI programme, which aims to provide the European Union with cutting-edge AI infrastructure.
The application was submitted by Federal Minister for Public Action and Modernisation Vanessa Matz (Les Engagés), who is responsible for digital technology, L'Echo and De Tijd report.
Matz, with the support of the Regions, submitted the Belgian application to the European Commission to establish an AI factory (AIF) in Belgium, an intermediate level between a simple AI antenna and a gigafactory.
The Belgian proposal includes two sites, one on each side of the language border, which will work in tandem and be "interconnected." These are the Green Energy Park in Zellik, and also a site in Charleroi. Particularly noteworthy is the Cenaero site, which already has its own supercomputer.
Belgium is not, at this stage, a candidate for an industrial-scale gigafactory – which requires massive investments.
"AI is as major a transformation as the internet was 30 years ago. If we want to maintain control of our digital future, we must get on board," said Matz. "The Flemish institute Imec and the Walloon research centre Cenaero are collaborating closely on the technical development of the project."
If the project is selected, the cost of the Belgian AIF is estimated at €80 million, half of which would be subsidised by Europe. A decision is expected by September 2025.
