IT Business: For the first time Bulgaria has a chance to participate in the Industrial Revolution

At that time, business and governments around the world are looking at their ability to build much larger such enterprises in their territory, called the Gigafabri because of their power. They require considerable terrains near large energy facilities and water sources. Bulgaria is among the few countries in Europe that can provide all the conditions for the construction of such power, which, according to representatives of the IT sector, will enable it for the first time in their history to participate in equally in the current industrial revolution – the heel.

On the map of the Industrial Revolution

Bulgaria has never had a chance to participate with other countries in the industrial revolutions. The first began 120 years after its real beginning, the second has caught it as she makes the first one, and the third coincides with the times of sots when there was other understandings. The fourth for the world coincides with the lost decade for Bulgaria with the events of the 1990s. The fifth, which is thought to start two years ago, is the first in which Bulgaria has a chance to get involved with the rest. Thus describes the situation Dobroslav Dimitrov, Executive Director of Brait – the organization where organizations in the IT sphere united. He describes the Fifth Revolution as a « high speed that accelerates » and that what the world has seen from it here is « nothing compared to what follows. » His forecast is that in the next five years, at least twice as many data centers will be built than they have been built in the last 20 years, which has been defined as a colossal industrial effort.

However, in order to enter Bulgaria successfully in this revolution, it must make such a decision. This was also the topic of a round table during the day under the patronage of President Rumen Radev. It was formally involved in all involved – business, mayors, representatives of the executive branch. The latter, which is the one to make such a decision, was presented by two deputy ministers and one minister’s advisor. Their statements did not give the impression that Bulgaria was seriously thinking about it. Burgas Mayor Dimitar Nikolov announced that the municipality has a suitable terrain, near water, for such an investment.

Our country has all the necessary conditions to establish itself as a technological hub and leader in the region, attracting more and more strategic investors. This was said by Deputy Minister of Economy Nevena Lazarova.

According to Krasimir Yakimov, Deputy Minister of Innovation and Growth, Bulgaria has the potential for development in the field of artificial intelligence and there is sufficient evidence that justify self-esteem to claim that it can contribute to the successful integration into the overall EU ecosystem in the field of development and use of artificial intelligence.

Dobroslav Dimitrov called on the process of implementing the gigafabrika to start immediately and pointed out that if Bulgaria wants such a factory to work from 2030, investors in it should begin its construction in 2026.

He also pointed out the challenge that stems from the fact that there is no experience in the construction of such facilities in our country. He also emphasized the need to think in parallel and to create the necessary highly qualified personnel.

Dobroslav Dimitrov also called on his colleagues in Brait to mobilize the ecosystem and the contacts they have around the world.

« To be able to defend that Bulgaria is a place where someone can trust us with a 10 or 20 billion technique, » he added. « The job is to impose a brand » Bulgaria « as technological Bulgaria. »

There are ready -made patterns to follow

Borislav Petrov, Executive Director of Insait (InSait) – Institute of Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence and Technology, explained that Zurich has a working ecosystem for artificial intelligence around the Polytechnic Institute in the Swiss city. It is a leading European research center and is in the top 5 in the world. « The ecosystem created there is working and we have a model to follow, » he said.

It cites a Reuters publication, stating that EU investment intentions are to invest 200 billion euros in the field of artificial intelligence.

Executive. Director of the Bulgarian Development Bank Tsanko Arabadzhiev has announced that the bank has the ambition to be a catalyst for the process of building an artificial intelligence gigababrika. With the adoption of the state budget for this year, BGN 4.2 billion was poured, which increased its capital.

He assured that the bank would talk to every strategic investor on the topic, and pointed out that it had various tools that could be helpful.

He identified the topic as laying the foundations of Bulgaria’s future economic competitiveness and pointed out that it would be a pity if Bulgaria lost the opportunity to participate in equal countries in the formation of the Fifth Industrial Revolution.

He called on Brait and Insait for subsequent conversations not only for a similar major project, such as the one for building a gigababrika, but also for funding that meets the needs of the entire ecosystem.

Only one institution is not enough

President Rumen Radev has announced that the institution he heads has inquiries on the topic, but he has nothing to answer insofar as the institutions in Bulgaria have no concept on the matter. There must be clearly scheduled parameters to be convinced that they will succeed here. Very few locations in Europe can be provided with a terrain with such power supply in a short time, he said. According to him, such an initiative will be a watershed – where large data centers are built, these countries and societies will move the development of humanity and others will be consumers. « The former will set the agenda on the planet, the others will follow it, » he stressed.

He pointed out that leading countries and companies are in a feverish race to build an infrastructure for artificial intelligence. According to him, Bulgaria has great advantages for building such power – a stable energy system, a nuclear power plant. He pointed that the « fashion » closing nuclear capacity in Europe and not to build new ones is now becoming a huge brake, as there is no excess electricity to power such factories. « It will win the one who can offer energy that can allocate some excess energy and offer it to build a gigababrika, » the president said.

Both the IT sector representatives reminded that companies in the rank of Microsoft and Google have chosen Greece instead of Bulgaria to build their data centers, and therefore Bulgaria must hurry up with such a solution.

According to Radev, the authorities in Bulgaria must rush to a complete change in the image of the country, because it, in his words, is in some cases by surrounded by an idea as a country with a swirling corruption and political instability. « We need to get out of this image soon and see what we can offer, » Radev said.