According to CNBC, Google announced on the 9th that it would invest at least €13 billion (approximately $15 billion) in Finland over the next two years to lay the digital groundwork for AI development, including the construction of data centers to provide computing power for artificial intelligence (AI) models.

In a statement, the company said the investment would fund the construction of at least three new data centers and the expansion of its existing facility in Hamina, a city in southeastern Finland; the new centers will be located in Kajaani, Muhos, and Vaala in the country's north. They will support various Google services, including the AI ​​chatbot Gemini.

Google described this as its largest investment in Europe to date. The investment also encompasses "clean energy projects" and nature and community funds dedicated to supporting local biodiversity, education, research, and workforce development. The company added that it has signed a 22-year power purchase agreement with the Finnish energy company Fortum.

This move is part of a massive expansion of computing infrastructure in Finland, building upon projects worth approximately €43 billion that were already in the planning or execution stages. The Nordic nation is transforming its cold climate into a competitive advantage for the AI ​​era: the chilly weather reduces the cooling requirements for AI equipment, and waste heat from servers can be recovered to provide residential heating. The country boasts abundant nuclear, wind, and hydroelectric power, resulting in low electricity costs. Furthermore, Finland has plentiful freshwater resources, and most data centers utilize closed-loop systems to minimize water waste.