Spain Strengthens EU AI Leadership with 1HealthAI Factory in Galicia
Spain establishes its second AI factory, 1HealthAI, in Galicia with an 82 million euro investment, boosting EU AI capabilities and technological independence.
- • Spain received European Commission approval for a second AI factory at CESGA in Galicia.
- • The 1HealthAI factory features an investment of 82 million euros, including 24 million euros from Spain.
- • Spain joins Germany and Poland as the only EU countries with two AI factories, enhancing its leadership.
- • 1HealthAI focuses on AI solutions for the One Health initiative integrating human, animal, and environmental health.
Key details
Spain has secured a significant advancement in its role within the European Union's artificial intelligence landscape by establishing its second AI factory, named 1HealthAI, at the Galicia Supercomputing Center (CESGA). Approved by the European Commission, this new facility complements the existing Barcelona Supercomputing Center, positioning Spain alongside Germany and Poland as one of the only three EU countries hosting two AI factories.
The 1HealthAI project involves an investment of 82 million euros, with funding contributions from the Spanish government (24 million euros), the regional government of Galicia (17 million euros), and the European High-Performance Computing Joint Undertaking (41 million euros). The factory will acquire a dedicated supercomputer optimized for AI and advanced supercomputing platforms designed for experimental AI applications.
Focused on the One Health initiative — which integrates human, animal, and environmental health — 1HealthAI aims to develop cutting-edge AI solutions in sectors including healthcare research and biotechnology. The facility will provide free comprehensive support services to businesses and research centers, fostering startup growth, attracting talent, and creating skilled jobs in Galicia.
Minister Óscar López of Digital Transformation emphasized that "Spain is taking the lead in Europe in advanced technological capabilities, democratizing access to AI innovation," underlining the strategic importance of the project in promoting technological independence within Europe. This new factory enhances Spain’s footprint in the European supercomputing ecosystem, which is vital to the EU’s goals of industrial competitiveness and reducing reliance on external AI providers from the US and Asia.
The establishment of 1HealthAI is part of a larger European initiative to bolster AI infrastructure, with six new AI factories announced across Europe to increase the total number of AI centers to nineteen. Spain’s dual-factory status reinforces its role as a technological leader within the EU, supporting the development of a sustainable, competitive European tech industry while enabling equitable access to advanced AI resources.
This article was translated and synthesized from Spanish sources, providing English-speaking readers with local perspectives.
Source articles (2)
Source comparison
Funding contributions
Sources report different funding contributions for the new AI factory.
lamoncloa.gob.es
"The Spanish government contributes 24 million euros."
elconciso.es
"Funding contributions include 24 million euros from the Spanish government, 17 million euros from the Xunta de Galicia, and 41 million euros from EuroHPC."
Why this matters: The sources disagree on the breakdown of funding contributions for the new AI factory in Spain. Source 95703 states that the Spanish government contributes 24 million euros, while Source 95704 includes additional contributions from the Xunta de Galicia and EuroHPC, totaling 82 million euros. This discrepancy affects the understanding of the financial support structure for the project, which is significant for assessing the investment and commitment from various stakeholders.