Airbus picks Scaleway for AI and defence work as Europe pushes for digital sovereignty

Airbus Partners with Scaleway for Critical AI and Defence Infrastructure

Airbus has signed a multi-year agreement with Iliad-owned Scaleway to provide cloud infrastructure for sensitive industrial applications and defence applications, marking a strategic shift toward European technological independence1

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. The partnership supports the deployment of AI tools developed with French startup Mistral, which Airbus partnered with in May to co-develop customized solutions for aerospace and defence sectors2

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Scaleway will host critical applications spanning aircraft design, engineering, industrial production and corporate operations. Catherine Jestin, Airbus Chief Digital Officer, explained that the existing deployment of Mistral models on Scaleway infrastructure will accelerate the company's AI approach1

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Digital Sovereignty Drives Selection Process

Airbus selected Scaleway after assessing more than 150 technical and legal requirements, with digital sovereignty emerging as a central concern2

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. Jestin highlighted that legal criteria included protection against kill switches and the application of extraterritorial laws, issues that have become increasingly important for European companies handling sensitive data1

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The European planemaker plans to use Mistral's technology for military applications and certified aviation systems, areas where the company specifically wants European partners to handle intellectual property, research and development, and sensitive data. This approach reflects growing concerns about foreign control over critical infrastructure as AI becomes embedded in defence and industrial operations2

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Phased Migration Spans Six Years

Airbus will migrate around 70 critical applications to Scaleway by the end of 2028, with the broader programme potentially covering up to 900 applications over the next five to six years1

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. While Airbus did not disclose the value of the agreement, the scale suggests a substantial commitment to building European cloud capacity for sensitive operations.

European governments and companies have increasingly focused on digital sovereignty as AI becomes embedded across sectors. The European Commission last month proposed a Cloud and AI Development Act aimed at expanding domestic cloud and computing capacity, signaling regulatory support for initiatives like the Airbus-Scaleway partnership2

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. This partnership positions Airbus to maintain control over intellectual property and sensitive data while advancing AI capabilities through Iliad's infrastructure and Mistral's models.