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Amazon announced on Monday its plans to invest over 1.2 billion euros ($1.3 billion) in its French operations, aiming to create over 3,000 permanent jobs in the country.
The French presidency revealed on Sunday that Amazon, along with other companies like GSK and Accenture, would unveil investments totalling billions of euros as part of France's annual "Choose France" event, commencing on Monday.
In a statement, Amazon Web Services (AWS) disclosed that its investment would focus on expanding cloud infrastructure in the Paris area to support France's growing generative AI sector. Additionally, it aims to enhance logistics infrastructure in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region.
The surge in demand for cloud services, driven by the rising popularity of generative AI, has positioned France as a significant hub for AI development.
Promising startups like Mistral and Poolside have emerged, while major companies like Meta and Google have established AI research centres in the country.
Since 2010, Amazon has already invested over 20 billion euros in its French operations and currently employs more than 22,000 permanent workers across its cloud and online retail divisions.
Frédéric Duval, country manager at Amazon France, emphasized that the newly announced jobs are in addition to the 2,000 positions slated for creation in 2024.
A portion of the investment will also be allocated to expanding Amazon's logistics network in France, aimed at accelerating delivery speeds and reducing carbon emissions. Currently, the company operates over 35 logistics facilities throughout the country.
