Microsoft continues to expand its footprint in Europe, sharpening its focus on Barcelona and Madrid as pivotal hubs for artificial intelligence and cloud computing. The commitment was reiterated at a business breakfast in Barcelona, where Alberto Granados, head of Microsoft Spain, outlined the company’s growth strategy. Both cities are positioned to drive Microsoft’s two core businesses, with AI and cloud services becoming increasingly central since the surge of ChatGPT and the broader adoption of intelligent cloud solutions.
Granados confirmed an expansion of the artificial intelligence center in Barcelona, a move that had been reported earlier in the year. The current team of around 30 AI specialists will grow to about 100 professionals, reinforcing the center as a key node for research and development in Catalonia. The company remains optimistic about hiring, highlighting the center’s role in delivering advanced AI capabilities built on local talent and collaboration with regional ecosystems. This facility, inaugurated in September 2021, is one of eight global bases dedicated to advancing AI applications across industries and borders.
Microsoft’s momentum extends beyond workforce growth. Earlier in the year, the company committed an additional $10 billion to OpenAI, reinforcing the integration of AI models such as ChatGPT across its services. The executive noted that rapid execution can fix many issues quickly, and the chatbot has already demonstrated extraordinary traction, reaching 100 million monthly active users in just over two months, a record pace for consumer apps.
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In February, Microsoft announced plans to embed AI across its product suite, spanning Bing, Windows, PowerPoint and Azure. The initiative aims to strengthen the company’s competitive position and unlock new synergies between its platforms. The executive emphasized the importance of strategic collaborations, underscoring a period of unprecedented alliance-building for the company. The Barcelona headquarters serves as a focal point for this AI initiative, inviting competition from Alphabet, Amazon and Meta as global tech leaders seek to capitalize on the transformative potential of AI across services and devices.
Investment in Madrid
Microsoft’s Spanish investment strategy continues to intensify. Madrid is set to become a dedicated cloud region, with plans to construct three new data centers in the coming months. The initiative follows years of ongoing collaboration with national and regional authorities. The Community of Madrid projects substantial job creation, estimating more than 13,200 new direct and indirect roles as a result of this expansion. Independent analysts foresee a sizable contribution to the region’s GDP, with consultancy firms projecting billions of euros in additional output through 2025 as the cloud infrastructure comes online and scales with local businesses.
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In mid-January, Microsoft announced workforce reductions affecting about 10,000 roles globally, a move not expected to impact ongoing investments in Barcelona and Madrid. The Spanish market has highlighted a notable talent gap, with many local firms reporting difficulty filling key roles. In response, Microsoft has led a multi-year training program that has prepared hundreds of thousands of people in Spain to work with its technologies, aiming to bolster the local talent pipeline and support long-term growth in the tech ecosystem.
During discussions with business leaders, Granados touched on broader European plans for tech giants to co-finance the expansion of telecommunications networks. The collaboration involves partnerships between Brussels and industry operators and is positioned as a catalyst for faster, more reliable digital infrastructure. The emphasis remains clear: collaboration rather than competition drives the next wave of connectivity and innovation, enabling faster delivery of AI-powered services to businesses and consumers alike.