HELSINKI, Sept 9 — Google said today that it would invest at least €13 billion (RM60.8 billion) in digital infrastructure, including data centres to power artificial intelligence models, in Finland over the next two years.

“This is Google’s largest single investment in Europe and a testament to Finland’s leadership in responsibly building AI infrastructure,” the company said in a statement, adding that the investments included “clean energy projects”.

The investment includes data centres and supporting infrastructure as well as partnerships in the municipalities of Hamina, Kajaani, Muhos and Vaala.

The infrastructure would power several of the tech giant’s services, including its AI chatbot Gemini.

Google said the investments also covered “clean energy projects, and dedicated nature and community funds to support local biodiversity, education, research, and workforce development”.

“Google’s decision is a clear testament to our strengths. The value of the data economy extends far beyond direct investment into spurring innovation, research and development,” Finland’s Prime Minister Petteri Orpo said in Google’s statement.

“Deepening our collaboration with Google will deliver lasting benefits for both parties,” he added.

Since buying a former paper mill and transforming it into a data centre in the coastal city of Hamina in 2009, Google has gradually increased its presence in the country.

The construction phase of the new investments is expected in 2027 and 2028, and Google estimated it would boost Finland’s GDP by 3.6 billion euros annually and “support more than 37,000 jobs” across the Nordic country.

An estimated 16,000 of these jobs will be in the construction sector.

After the construction phase, the running of the “digital infrastructure” will support around 7,000 jobs annually, including “on-site facility and technical roles, upstream suppliers of equipment and services, and the local shops, restaurants and amenities supported by these workers and their families”.

With its cool climate and relatively stable and cheap electricity thanks to nuclear plants as well as extensive wind and hydro power, Finland has seen a boom in data centres in recent years, with dozens already under construction.

Attracting investments in the sector has been a priority for Orpo’s right-wing government as the Nordic country grapples with record-high unemployment and sluggish economic growth. — AFP