UAE-based technology company G42 announced on Friday a partnership with Italian AI startup iGenius to build a significant artificial intelligence supercomputer in Italy, according to a joint statement from both firms.
This agreement forms part of a wider initiative revealed during a bilateral summit in February, during which the UAE committed to investing USD 40 billion in Italy, as stated by Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni at the time.
The AI data centre, named Colosseum, will be constructed in southern Italy over a five-year period, backed by USD 1 billion and employing Nvidia technology.
G42 will serve as the principal investor for the initial stage of the project, which the companies described as Europe’s most extensive AI computer deployment.
The partnership is expected to establish an AI hub in Italy, said Industry Minister Adolfo Urso during the Investopia conference in Milan, adding that there is a “strong possibility” it will be based in the southeastern Apulia region.
G42 counts Abu Dhabi’s sovereign wealth fund Mubadala, the UAE’s ruling family, and U.S. private equity firm Silver Lake among its shareholders.
