Alphabet, the parent of Google, said on Wednesday that it will invest at least €13 billion in artificial-intelligence infrastructure in Finland over 2027 and 2028. The company described the spending as its largest single investment in Europe.
The investment will cover data centers, power-grid improvements and clean-energy and battery projects. Alphabet said the projects will support services including Gemini, Google Search, Maps and YouTube.
Finland is viewed as an attractive data-center location because its cool climate can reduce cooling costs for facilities that generate significant heat. The country also has large amounts of carbon-free electricity. Microsoft and ByteDance, the owner of TikTok, have sought to lower energy costs and meet climate goals in Finland.
Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo said the decision was a clear testament to the country's strengths. Google said the investment would contribute about $3.6 billion to Finland's gross domestic product during the construction phase and secure several thousand jobs over the long term once in operation.
