Google will invest 13 billion euros in AI in Finland

Google will invest at least 13 billion euros in Finland during the years 2027 and 2028 to strengthen its digital and energy infrastructures related to artificial intelligence, the group announced on Wednesday, September 9.

The operation, presented by the company as its largest single investment in Europe, is intended in particular to support its Gemini, Search, Maps, and YouTube services.

The program concerns data centers and associated infrastructure in Hamina, Kajaani, Muhos, and Vaala. According to Google, the project is expected to support more than 37,000 jobs nationwide during its initial construction phase and contribute an average of 3.6 billion euros per year to the Finnish gross domestic product over this period.

Once the new facilities are fully operational, the group estimates that they could support around 7,000 jobs per year, either directly or within the supply and service chain. Reuters reports that Finland is increasingly attracting data center operators due to its cold climate and abundance of low-carbon electricity, two factors that reduce cooling costs and facilitate the energy goals of major technology companies.

The investment is part of a much broader acceleration of spending by Alphabet, Google’s parent company, to meet the rising demand for computing power. The group raised its global investment forecast this year to a range between 195 and 205 billion dollars.

In Finland, Google is linking the expansion of its computing capabilities to several energy projects. The company has notably signed a 22-year agreement to support the extension of the lifespan of the Loviisa nuclear power plant, plans new wind power purchase agreements, and has reserved a 94-megawatt battery system intended to enhance grid stability.

A bet on the Finnish digital ecosystem

Google has been present in Hamina for fifteen years, where the company transformed a former paper mill into a data center. The new program aims to expand this presence and create new capacities in the northern part of the country, while relying on local electrical infrastructure.

The group also plans to allocate 31 million euros for community programs in Hamina, Kajaani, Muhos, and Vaala over four years. Part of these funds is intended to finance artificial intelligence training initiatives for more than 4,400 workers, as well as dedicated pathways for data center professions for around one hundred Finnish students.

Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo welcomed a decision that, in his view, confirms the country’s strengths in the digital economy. Google, for its part, states that it intends to combine the increase in its computing power with new energy capacities, investments in the network, and training programs.