Key Takeaways
- UAE tech firm G42 and Italian AI startup iGenius are partnering to build a major AI supercomputer in Italy.
- The project, named “Colosseum,” will involve a $1 billion investment over five years.
- This initiative aims to create Europe’s largest AI computer deployment and an AI hub in Italy.
- The supercomputer will be developed in southern Italy, likely the Apulia region, using Nvidia technology.
A significant partnership is set to bring a powerful AI supercomputer to Italy. Tech firm G42 from the United Arab Emirates and Italian AI startup iGenius announced their collaboration on Friday to develop this major facility.
The ambitious project, dubbed “Colosseum,” will see an investment of $1 billion over the next five years. The companies aim to create what they describe as the largest AI computer deployment in Europe, according to a joint statement mentioned by Reuters.
This new AI data center will utilize cutting-edge Nvidia technology. It is slated for development in southern Italy, with Industry Minister Adolfo Urso highlighting a strong chance of it being located in the southeastern Apulia region.
G42, which has backing from notable entities including Abu Dhabi’s sovereign wealth fund Mubadala, the UAE’s ruling family, and U.S. private equity firm Silver Lake, will be the primary financier for the project’s initial phase.
This AI supercomputer initiative is part of a broader framework of cooperation. It follows a February bilateral summit where the United Arab Emirates pledged to invest $40 billion in Italy, as Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni announced at that time. The development of this AI hub is a key part of that larger commitment.
