Google plans $15.1bn investment to power AI expansion in Finland

Google parent Alphabet plans to invest about $15.1 billion in Finland over the next two years to expand its artificial intelligence infrastructure, the company announced on Wednesday (September 9), calling it its largest single investment in Europe to date.

The investment will focus on expanding data-centre capacity as demand for computing power for AI services continues to surge. Finland has emerged as an attractive hub for data centres because of its cold climate, relatively low energy costs and access to low-carbon electricity.

Alphabet said the investment will extend beyond new data centres to include upgrades to the power grid, clean-energy generation and battery projects. The infrastructure will support computing needs for Google services including Gemini, Search, Maps and YouTube.

Most of the investment is expected to be carried out in 2027 and 2028. Google estimates the construction phase could contribute about $3.6 billion to Finland’s gross domestic product, while the data centres could support around 7,000 jobs annually once operational.

Finland is increasingly attracting major technology companies seeking locations for large-scale data infrastructure. Microsoft and ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok, are among firms that have shown interest in expanding data-centre operations in the country.

Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo welcomed Google’s decision, saying the investment reflected the company’s confidence in the country’s capabilities and energy resources. He said such projects could also accelerate innovation, research and development beyond their direct economic impact.