AI Factory in Poland 2026: What do we know about the plans, partners, and challenges?

MarGib September 02, 2026

🌐 🇵🇱 Polski · 🇬🇧 EN

In July 2026, the Ministry of Digital Affairs signed an agreement regarding the construction of an AI factory in Poland. This represents an opportunity for sovereign computing infrastructure, but also poses a massive technological and financial challenge. What lies behind this project, and does Poland have a real chance to compete with the rest of Europe?

Wizualizacja nowoczesnego centrum danych z superkomputerami do trenowania sztucznej inteligencji — AI Factory – a vision for the future of Polish computing infrastructure

On July 28, 2026, Deputy Minister of Digital Affairs Dariusz Standerski signed an agreement that could prove to be a breakthrough for Polish artificial intelligence. We are talking about an AI factory – an ambitious project designed to provide Poland with its own computing infrastructure for training language models and analyzing data on an unprecedented scale. Although details remain scarce, it is already known that the venture aligns with the EU's Digital Europe Programme strategy and could reshape Poland's position on the European technology map.

Who is behind the AI factory project?

The official initiator of the agreement is the Ministry of Digital Affairs, but the project did not emerge in a vacuum. Poland is joining the broader AI Factories initiative, announced by the European Union under the Digital Europe program for 2021–2027. The goal is to build European computing centers that would support the development of AI models independent of American or Chinese giants.

Potential partners mentioned include:

Technology companies: Allegro, Comarch, as well as international corporations like NVIDIA or Intel, which could supply the necessary hardware.
Cloud operators: OVHcloud, Google Cloud, or AWS, which could support the project with infrastructure.

For now, however, there is no official confirmation as to which private entities will participate in the venture. As Business Insider points out, decisions on this matter may not be made until the coming months.

What is the goal? Technical objectives of the AI factory

The AI factory is primarily a supercomputing center dedicated to artificial intelligence. The project is expected to meet several key requirements:

1. Computing power meeting European standards

It is estimated that the AI factory will require hundreds of petaflops of computing power. For comparison: the Polish supercomputer Tryton (2023) achieved approximately 8 PFLOPS, while the European LUMI in Finland reaches over 375 PFLOPS. This means Poland would need to invest in infrastructure at least several dozen times more powerful than what is currently available.

Crucial to this will be AI accelerators, such as NVIDIA H100 or AMD Instinct chips, which are optimized for training language models. Specialized processors, such as Intel Gaudi, which offer better energy efficiency, will also be essential.

2. Development of Polish language models

One of the goals of the AI factory is to support the creation of native AI models. Poland already has some experience in this field – examples include Polish BERT (University of Warsaw) and herbert (Allegro). The new infrastructure could, however, accelerate work on more advanced solutions, such as Polish equivalents of the Llama or Mistral models.

Collaboration with the European High Performance Computing Joint Undertaking (eurohpc JU) also opens up the possibility of accessing EU computing resources, which could facilitate project scaling.

3. Practical applications: from administration to industry

The AI factory is not intended to be just a "toy for scientists." The project envisions broad applications in:

Public sector: optimization of administrative services, medical data analysis, and crisis forecasting.
Industry: production automation, predictive maintenance, and the development of autonomous systems.
Science: climate simulations, genetic research, and astrophysics.

As Rzeczpospolita notes, the key will be connecting the infrastructure with real market needs. Without concrete applications, even the most powerful supercomputer will remain a costly experiment.

Where will the AI factory be built? Location still unknown

Although the agreement has been signed, the location of the AI factory is still unknown. The choice of site will be crucial to the project's success, and the criteria are clear:

Access to cheap and stable energy: AI supercomputers consume massive amounts of electricity. For example, the Finnish LUMI requires 8 MW of power, equivalent to the demand of a medium-sized city. Poland has high energy prices (approx. 0.25 PLN/kWh in 2026), so utilizing renewable energy sources (RES) or geothermal energy will be key.
Proximity to research centers and technology companies: Collaboration with universities and enterprises will facilitate knowledge transfer and the commercialization of solutions.
Infrastructure scalability: The AI factory will require not only space for servers but also cooling systems, backup power, and high-speed internet connectivity.

Potential locations mentioned include:

Gdańsk/Sopot/Gdynia: Existing supercomputing infrastructure (Tryton), access to energy from Baltic wind farms.
Kraków: Strong scientific (AGH, Jagiellonian University) and technological base, access to geothermal energy.
Warsaw: Concentration of tech companies and government institutions, but high energy and land costs.
Lower Silesia (Wrocław, Legnica): Developed energy infrastructure, proximity to Germany.

A decision on the location may be reached in 2026, but for now, the Ministry of Digital Affairs has not disclosed details.

How much will the AI factory cost? Project financing

Building an AI factory is a massive undertaking, with costs estimated at 300–600 million EUR. For comparison: the Finnish supercomputer LUMI cost about 200 million EUR, and the American Frontier – over 600 million USD. Where will Poland find these funds?

1. EU funds

The main source of funding is European Union resources:

National Recovery Plan (KPO): Poland has ~59.8 billion EUR at its disposal, a portion of which can be allocated to digitalization and AI.
Digital Europe Programme: The budget for 2021–2027 is 7.5 billion EUR, with a portion dedicated to AI infrastructure.
eurohpc JU: Further calls for proposals for building supercomputers are planned for 2026, which could cover up to 50% of costs.

However, delays in implementing the KPO could be a problem. Poland faces difficulties in implementing reforms required by the EU, which may delay the disbursement of funds.

2. State budget

The Ministry of Digital Affairs has declared support for the project, but specific amounts have not been provided. In 2025, the ministry received 1.2 billion PLN for digitalization, but this is a drop in the ocean compared to the needs.

3. Public-Private Partnerships (PPP)

A potential source of funding could be private investors. Tech companies like NVIDIA or Google could support the project in exchange for access to the infrastructure. For now, however, there are no official declarations in this regard.

Some experts point out that competition for investors is immense. Tech companies may choose countries with better tax or energy conditions, such as Ireland or Sweden.

What benefits will the AI factory bring?

If the project succeeds, Poland could benefit on several levels:

1. Economic

New jobs: It is estimated that the AI factory will create 500–1000 positions for engineers, AI specialists, and technicians.
Increased innovation: Sovereign infrastructure will attract startups and tech companies, particularly in the fintech or medtech sectors.
Reduced foreign dependency: Poland will cease to be merely a consumer of AI technology and become a producer.

2. Scientific

International cooperation: Access to European computing resources will facilitate collaboration with institutions like CERN or EMBL.
Advancement of Polish AI research: The ability to train native language models, e.g., for the Polish language, which could be significant for education or administration.

It is worth mentioning the challenges related to LLM language models in 2026, which require massive computing resources. The AI factory could accelerate work on Polish equivalents.

3. Strategic

Strengthening Poland's position in the EU: Poland could become a leader in AI in Central and Eastern Europe.
Export of computing services: The ability to provide services to other countries in the region, such as the Czech Republic, Hungary, or the Baltic states.

Poland's experience: do we have a chance for success?

Poland is not entirely new to the field of supercomputers and AI. We already have several projects that could serve as a starting point for the AI factory:

Tryton (Gdańsk): Launched in 2015, modernized in 2023 (8 PFLOPS). Used for climate and medical research.
Prometheus (Kraków): Launched in 2015 (2.4 PFLOPS), serves scientists from AGH and Jagiellonian University.
Polish language models: Polish BERT (2020) and herbert (2021) show that we have potential in the field of AI.

However, there are also serious challenges:

Low R&D spending: Poland spends only 0.9% of its GDP on research and development (2025), while the EU average is 2.2%.
Lack of a national AI strategy: Unlike France or Germany, Poland does not have a coherent plan for the development of artificial intelligence.
Energy sector issues: High electricity prices and reliance on coal could make maintaining the AI factory difficult.

As Business Insider notes, swift action will be key. Delays in project implementation could cause Poland to lose out to other EU countries that are already investing in similar initiatives.

Challenges and risks: is the AI factory a good idea?

The AI factory project raises both hopes and concerns. Here are the most important challenges Poland faces:

1. Technical

Energy consumption: AI supercomputers require tens of megawatts of power. For example, LUMI in Finland consumes 8 MW, equivalent to the demand of 20,000 households.
Cooling: The necessity of building liquid cooling systems or utilizing geothermal energy.
Network infrastructure: The AI factory will require ultra-fast internet connections, which could be a challenge in some regions of Poland.

2. Financial

Delays in securing funds: Problems with KPO implementation could delay the disbursement of EU funds.
Competition for investors: Tech companies may choose countries with better conditions, such as Ireland or Sweden.
Maintenance costs: Supercomputers require continuous investment in modernization and service.

3. Legal and ethical

EU regulations: New laws, such as the AI Act (in effect since 2026), may limit AI applications.
Data protection: The necessity to ensure compliance with GDPR and EU cybersecurity standards.
AI ethics: Challenges related to the responsible use of artificial intelligence, e.g., in the public sector.

Some experts also point to the "white elephant" risk – building infrastructure that proves too expensive to maintain and unsuited to real market needs. To avoid this, it will be crucial to closely link the AI factory to specific research and industrial projects.

Summary: does Poland have a chance for success?

The AI factory is an ambitious project, but one burdened with numerous challenges. Poland has a chance to join the European elite in the field of artificial intelligence, but this requires:

Swift action: Delays could cause Poland to lose out to other EU countries.
Effective financing: It will be necessary to utilize EU funds and attract private investors.
Collaboration with science and industry: The AI factory must be linked to real market needs.
Solving energy problems: Without cheap and stable energy, the project may prove unprofitable.

If everything goes according to plan, the AI factory could become a breakthrough for Polish technology. However, if delays or funding problems arise, the project could end up as just another unfulfilled promise. One thing is certain: Poland faces an opportunity it cannot afford to waste.

It is worth following further developments – especially decisions regarding location and financing. Perhaps soon we will find out where one of the most important technological investments in Polish history will be built.

"The AI factory is not just a matter of prestige, but above all an opportunity to become independent of foreign technology suppliers. Poland has the potential to become a leader in the region, but it requires courage and determination."

– AI expert, quoted by Rzeczpospolita