Amazon Web Services (AWS) will invest around $1.3bn (€1.2bn) in France’s cloud computing infrastructure. 

The investment will go towards new cloud infrastructure around Paris to support France’s efforts in generative AI. 

Alongside the investment, AWS also committed to creating 3,000 new jobs across France. 

Microsoft also announced an investment of $4.3bn in France’s AI and cloud industries and has stated it will help train over a million people in France in AI. 

In collaboration with government employment agency Travail, Microsoft will help deploy AI training to job seekers.  

Microsoft stated that AI training could help job seekers widen their search for work and empower them in the modern workplace by becoming more tech literate. 

“Artificial intelligence is an essential lever for accessing and returning to employment,” said Travail’s general manager, Thibaut Guilluy. 

“Jobseekers cannot do without AI in a context where these new tools will significantly improve job search techniques and impact many job roles. France Travail’s commitment alongside Microsoft is essential to provide jobseekers with all the solutions and skills they need to use AI,” stated Guilluy. 

The $4.3bn invested by Microsoft will be used to create more data centres to keep up with the large compute workload needed to power generative AI. 

Extensions on existing data centres in Paris and Marseille are planned, as well as a new data centre campus in Grand Est Region. 

Corine de Bilbao, corporate vice president for Microsoft France, called it a historic investment into France’s tech industry. 

“Through state-of-the-art cloud and AI infrastructure, a major training plan for the French and renewed support for startups in the hexagon, we are pursuing our commitment to sustainable and inclusive growth,” said de Bilbao.