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Published on 12.05.2025 
“You’re going to think I’m grandstanding, but there’s something that frustrates me. I recommended that the AI Summit be held over two days. The first day in Paris and the second day in the Hauts-de-France region, to show international stakeholders and heads of state what is happening in a crucial region like yours. This did not happen, but I believe that the region has not said its last word and that it would be a legitimate venue for an event of this nature. “
Alexandre Mirlesse, diplomat and former advisor to the French President for the organization of the 2025 AI Action Summit in Paris, thus began his speech
As Artificial Intelligence establishes itself as a revolution on a par with the advent of the Internet, France is keen to assert its position on the world stage.
The recent AI Action Summit in Paris in February 2025 placed France at the heart of international discussions on regulation, innovation, and technological sovereignty in this strategic field.
With the announcement of massive investments of 109 billion euros in French AI over the next few years, the nation is demonstrating its ability to occupy a prominent place in Europe alongside the leadership of the United States and China.
“Europe has assets, however it is also lagging behind. In terms of GDP and population, Europe invests three to four times less in artificial intelligence than the United States and China. “
Alexandre Mirlesse
In this global race, where the battle of language models has initially been dominated by US stakeholders, the next crucial turning point will be the dissemination, adoption, and integration of AI into our economy and society.
On today’s digital highways, data centers and computing centers are now a major strategic issue for regional and national technological sovereignty. It is vital that France welcomes these nerve centers, which will operate 24/7, as soon as possible.
“We really saw this summit as a kind of starting point, a kick-off that now needs to be rolled out everywhere, especially in this region. It is only by rolling out projects locally, with economic policy that is determined at regional level, that we will be able to win back our place in this race. “
Alexandre Mirlesse
France stands out as the European market with the strongest growth potential in this sector.
However, in order to host data centers and computing centers, regions face three critical challenges:
- The availability of land,
- The power connection of production sites and electrical power capacity
- Acceptance and integration into the economic fabric and local policies.
Thanks to its intrinsic advantages, including its strategic location, robust industry, and close cooperation between government and private stakeholders, the Hauts-de-France region has positioned itself as a key location for data centers in France. Thanks to its favorable ecosystem, the region aims to become a European hub for artificial intelligence.
“I want this region to become a genuine ‘AI Valley’ by hosting essential infrastructure such as data centers, which are the physical backbone of this digital revolution. “
Xavier Bertrand, President of the Hauts-de-France Region
In the global race for artificial intelligence, energy is emerging as a key factor in attractiveness.
Artificial intelligence significantly increases the demand for computing power, which in turn leads to higher electricity consumption. But without sufficient energy available, it is impossible to attract data center projects.
While before AI, the largest infrastructures consumed around 100 megawatts, current projects are aiming for power outputs of up to 1 gigawatt—the equivalent of an entire nuclear reactor.
“Keep in mind that one gigawatt is twice the consumption of Aluminium Dunkerque, France’s largest electricity consumer. So imagine eight hyperscale data centers, each with 1 gigawatt of power. “ Stéphane Raison, Director in charge of installing large consumption sites at EDF
Nuclear power is therefore a strategic asset in the face of the spectacular growth in data center energy needs.
“To develop AI, we will need to use nuclear power. And one of the only places in the world where this energy is available in predictable, controllable quantities, other than China, is France,” added Alexandre Mirlesse.
Now, France has a production surplus of 14 GW per day, which allowed for the export of 89 TWh in 2024.
“Last year, we exported the equivalent of Belgium’s consumption. Every day, we export 14 gigawatts of electrical power (i.e., 14 units) to our neighbors Germany, Switzerland, Italy, and Belgium. This represents a strength for France. Because even if it is not currently consumed in France, this electricity can be used for investments that will be located in France. “ explained Stéphane Raison
RTE’s projections for 2035 confirm this trend, with an annual increase in electricity production of 2.2%.
In addition to its availability, nuclear power provides France with two other competitive advantages:
“Electricity prices in France are low and have returned to normal levels. It is important to note that electricity in Italy is currently twice as expensive as electricity in France. “ Stéphane Raison
“The Hauts-de-France region is blessed when it comes to electricity supply. “ Stéphane Raison
With 10.6% of national production, Hauts-de-France stands out for its energy mix, which is mainly divided between nuclear (54.8%) and renewable energies (30.2%). This advantage makes it a strategic location for data centers.
This is based on:
This combination of energy assets puts Hauts-de-France in a favorable position to host the most ambitious projects in the AI ecosystem.
“This allows for an extremely significant decarbonized mix, which, unlike countries such as Spain, we do not have to supplement with gas,” said Stéphane Raison.
The region can thus guarantee a supply at a controlled cost with a reduced carbon footprint.
The setting up of data centers faces a major challenge in France: the availability of suitable land.
In a national context of tension over access to land and in light of the requirements of the Zero Net Artificialization (ZAN) law, setting up structures that require large areas of land represents a considerable challenge.
In this complex equation, Hauts-de-France comes out on top thanks to a larger land reserve than other French regions and numerous brownfield sites, the legacy of the region’s industrial past, which are easily available for hosting data centers.
“Thanks to negotiations with the government under the Zan law and the establishment of a regional reserve, we now have more land than other regions. And we are ready to allocate part of this land for the installation of data centers and supercomputers. “ Xavier Bertrand, President of the Hauts-de-France Region
If there is one striking example of rehabilitation in Hauts-de-France, it’s the eValley.
This former 320-hectare military base, purchased by David Taieb, is now Europe’s largest logistics park and a center of excellence for the industry.
In the future, founder David Taieb hopes to turn it into a center of digital excellence.
“We have a former military site that is heavily wooded, and we will be able to create something very attractive and beautiful, and enhance the logistical excellence of the site by adding the digital excellence of the data center. “ David Taieb, founder of eValley and CEO of BT Immo and Castignac.
To this end, the Castignac Group has already taken steps to offer investors the facilities needed for the arrival of data centers, including innovative cooling solutions and electrical connections.
“Our goal is also to provide training and allow all residents of the region to learn and train the next generation in state-of-the-art biotechnology data centers. “
The Hauts-de-France region now has a clear political ambition: to become a national, and even European, benchmark for artificial intelligence.
Following its commitment to the transition to a circular and carbon-free economy with the Rev3 initiative, and the shift towards green mobility with the development of the Battery Valley, the region is now taking a decisive step towards digitalization with AI.
“I believe that the Hauts-de-France region can really aim for the top spot in terms of interest in AI and the place of AI at the national level,” said Xavier Bertrand.
A regional commitment that goes beyond hosting infrastructure (data centers, computing centers) in the form of a new roadmap that includes vocational training to develop the skills needed for the jobs of tomorrow.
“Data centers and supercomputers are the infrastructure that provides access to artificial intelligence. But what we want in Hauts-de-France is for our companies to be able to take full advantage of artificial intelligence in order to grow. Stopping with data centers would be a mistake.” Concluded Xavier Bertrand, President of the Hauts-de-France Region
Convinced of the value of this sector and the urgent need to offer investors quick, turnkey solutions, the Region and the representative bodies of the French government in Hauts-de-France are taking on the role of facilitators.
“We want to position ourselves as a facilitating government, a local government, a strategic government.” “ Rollon Mouchel-Blaisot, Prefect of the Somme.
With its experience in hosting mega-projects, particularly with the development of the Battery Valley and its gigafactories, the Hauts-de-France region—through Nord France Invest—is well placed to provide effective support for the setting up of large-scale infrastructure such as data centers.
To this end, the region has a unique tool at its disposal: the setting-up contract.
This allows all stakeholders to come together to offer companies guarantees, particularly regarding the acceleration of administrative procedures and deadlines.
Do you have a data center project at the regional level?
“In the digital sector, the economic model is essentially based on the creation of start-ups, which allows for the transfer of academic results directly to the market. ” Mireille Regnier
The regional entrepreneurial culture is therefore a major asset for the practical implementation of innovative processes.
Faced with the challenges of attracting and retaining talent, the Hauts-de-France region is rolling out a coherent regional training strategy with a European dimension in order to build the region’s digital future.
After addressing the three major challenges of hosting data centers (land, electrical connections, and strong political support) the Hauts-de-France region has another major asset: a pool of available labor.
In a context of growing tension in the job market, particularly in the technology sector, the Hauts-de-France region stands out for its ability to train and attract the talent needed to develop these infrastructures and AI within the economic fabric.
“In Hauts-de-France, we benefit from a hub of excellence ranging from awareness and acculturation to sandbox testing, including ongoing training with a strong cyber security program. ” Mireille Regnier
The region has a large talent pool of 253,000 students and a solid educational infrastructure.
It offers around 80 IT degrees, from bachelor’s to doctoral level, and 29 RNCP-certified training programs. All training is provided through initial training, continuous training or work-study programs, which ensures that it is constantly adapted to the sector’s changing needs.
The Hauts-de-France region offers an innovation ecosystem structured around specialized clusters such as CITC, Euratechnologies, Plaine Images, and Cité de l’IA, whose mission is to help companies demystify and embrace artificial intelligence.
Stakeholders such as INRIA Lille and CITC, with its pioneering regulatory “sandbox” project supported by Europe, offer secure testing grounds that are essential for technological development.
“I think we need to create a useful AI that is measured rather than a futile AI that is excessive.” And since I’m a scientist, before I minimize something, I ask myself what it is I want to minimize and how best to evaluate it. “ Mireille Régnier, Chairwoman of COERLE (Ethics Committee) at Inria and CITC
In a global context of decarbonization, it is essential to start thinking now about low-carbon AI.
A priority for the Hauts-de-France region, a pioneer in decarbonizing its economic fabric through the rev3 initiative.
In response to this question, INRIA has put forward five proposals that would allow for a reduction in the carbon footprint of this emerging sector:
Thanks to an ambitious policy, solid energy infrastructure, and a dynamic ecosystem of innovation and training, Hauts-de-France is positioning itself as a strategic region for setting up artificial intelligence projects and data centers in France.
“It is here, in this corner of France, that our country will face the challenges of AI.” I think we are in the midst of an industrial revolution. Just as there was coal, textiles, and heavy industry in the past, now there are data centers. Artificial intelligence is shaking things up so much that I think the region can draw on its history, its almost identity-defining, emotional driving forces, and its energy to embark on this new chapter in its history. “ concluded Alexandre Mirlesse
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