How data centers drive European resilience

Article published by Business Quarter on October 15

Europe’s digital independence depends on strong physical foundations – its data centers. In this article, Fredrik Jansson, Chief Strategy and Marketing & Communications Officer at atNorth, explains how strategic investment in sustainable, well-located data centers can strengthen Europe’s resilience, protect sovereignty, and power the next phase of AI-driven growth.

As AI transforms industries, the infrastructure that enables it becomes a matter of economic and geopolitical importance. Jansson argues that “Europe’s data centers are not just utilities, but strategic assets essential to economic independence, technological autonomy, and long-term competitiveness.”

He emphasizes the need for smart, balanced investments that prioritize where and how facilities are built, not just how much is spent. Cooler climates, such as those in the Nordics, offer natural efficiency advantages, helping organizations decarbonize IT workloads and comply with evolving ESG regulations like the EU’s CSRD.

Jansson also stresses that Europe’s path to digital independence should focus on innovation, not isolation. Collaboration with hyperscale providers must continue, but strengthening local and “Neo-Cloud” providers will ensure diversity, resilience, and choice in the market. Examples like Opera’s AI supercomputing deployment at atNorth’s Icelandic data center illustrate the strategic benefits of controlling data and AI models locally.

Ultimately, Europe’s digital sovereignty will depend on building an interconnected, sustainable, and forward-looking data center ecosystem that supports both homegrown innovation and responsible global partnerships.

Read the full article here.