GRNET, coordinator of the PHAROS AI Factory project, participated in the event “Building Artificial Intelligence Infrastructure for Greece 2030”, held on 4 September 2026 at the Makedonia Palace Hotel in Thessaloniki.
The event, organised by Cosmos Business Systems in collaboration with Dell Technologies, focused on the critical role of secure, sovereign, scalable and sustainable Artificial Intelligence infrastructure in Greece’s path towards 2030. Discussions addressed key aspects of the country’s AI ecosystem, including the transition towards an AI-enabled state, advanced computing infrastructure, data centres, cloud technologies, cybersecurity, data governance, and the connection between research and the productive economy.
Dimitris Katsianis, Deputy Chairman of GRNET and Assistant Professor at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (NKUA), participated in the panel discussion “National AI Strategy: From the Digital State to the AI-enabled State”, highlighting the strategic role of national AI and High-Performance Computing (HPC) infrastructure in Greece’s digital transformation.
During the discussion, Dimitris Katsianis presented the ecosystem of advanced national AI and HPC infrastructure being developed by GRNET, with particular emphasis on PHAROS AI Factory and the new supercomputer DAEDALUS, which will provide the computing infrastructure underpinning PHAROS and the development of advanced AI applications.
Particular reference was also made to the new AI Supercomputer in the region of Western Macedonia, an infrastructure being developed by GRNET in collaboration with the University of Western Macedonia, which will host the new system. Greece’s first AI-optimised supercomputer will operate in synergy with DAEDALUS and PHAROS AI Factory, becoming an integral part of the country’s AI and supercomputing ecosystem and further strengthening Western Macedonia’s role as a strategic hub for innovation.
GRNET’s participation underlined its strategic role in developing cutting-edge national digital and computing infrastructure, while PHAROS AI Factory continues to serve as a key pillar of Greece’s emerging AI ecosystem, connecting advanced computing capabilities with research, innovation and the development of impactful AI solutions.
The event concluded with a fireside chat with Dimitris Papastergiou, Minister of Digital Governance and Artificial Intelligence, who outlined Greece’s vision and priorities for leveraging Artificial Intelligence.
