Belgium has formally applied to establish an artificial intelligence (AI) factory under the InvestAI programme, an initiative designed to equip the European Union with advanced AI infrastructure.
The application was submitted by Federal Minister for Public Action and Modernisation Vanessa Matz (Les Engagés), who oversees digital technology, according to reports from L’Echo and De Tijd.
With backing from regional authorities, Minister Vanessa Matz has submitted Belgium’s application to the European Commission to establish an AI Factory (AIF) in the country, a facility positioned between a basic 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.
At this stage, Belgium is not seeking to build an industrial-scale gigafactory, which would require significantly higher investment.
“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 approved, the Belgian AI Factory project is expected to cost €80 million, with half of the funding coming from the European Union. A final decision is anticipated by September 2025.
