Artificial intelligence is already changing the economy, investments and regional development. The question is whether Bulgaria will be able to prepare in time for the next technological wave.
It is changing the way companies, industry, science, media and public institutions work. Systems that seemed experimental a few years ago are now being used to analyze huge amounts of data, develop new products, automate, medical, transportation, finance, manufacturing, and create content.
The technological revolution is accelerating.
But along with the new opportunities, an increasingly important question arises:
Which countries and regions will succeed in attracting the industries of the new AI economy?
This question is especially important for Bulgaria.
AI is not just software
When we talk about artificial intelligence, we usually think of algorithms, applications, and software. But behind them lies a huge physical infrastructure.
AI systems operate through data centers, which house thousands of specialized servers, processors, storage systems, networking equipment and cooling.
These facilities operate 24/7.
The larger and more complex AI models become, the more computing power is needed to train and use them.
According to the International Energy Agency, data center electricity consumption has increased by about 17% in 2025.
For centers focused primarily on artificial intelligence applications, the increase was even greater – about 50% in one year.
This shows how quickly the digital revolution is starting to change not only technology, but also the physical infrastructure of the economy.
Where will the new industries be?
Technology companies are no longer choosing the location of their investments based solely on the price of land or the size of the market.
Future technology centers require:
stable infrastructure,
high-speed connectivity,
skilled specialists,
appropriate investment environment,
sufficient capacity for future expansion
and reliable electricity supply.
It is the combination of these factors that can determine which regions will attract new data centers, AI labs, and high-tech production.
Therefore, regional competitiveness takes on new importance.
Countries are no longer competing only for factories.
Increasingly, they will also compete for computing infrastructure.
Data center consumption is growing rapidly
In 2024, data centers used approximately 415 TWh of electricity worldwide, which represents about 1.5% of global electricity consumption.
According to the International Energy Agency's baseline scenario, this volume could reach about 945 TWh in 2030.
This means more than doubling in just a few years.
The reason is the development of cloud services, the expansion of data centers and, above all, the rapid penetration of AI applications.
New models can analyze huge amounts of information, generate images and video, perform scientific calculations and manage complex manufacturing processes.
But all this requires real infrastructure.
New competition between regions
The technological revolution can gradually change the economic map of Europe.
Regions that have good infrastructure and can provide conditions for the long-term development of technology companies can get a new chance to attract investment.
This is especially important for regions that are currently facing:
a shrinking population, limited industrial investment and an outflow of young professionals.
A large technological investment can create not only direct jobs places.
Around it can develop:
construction, engineering services, telecommunications, logistics, technical support, training, security, hospitality and other local services.
Thus, technological infrastructure can become part of broader regional development.
And where is Bulgaria?
Bulgaria has several important advantages.
The country is a member of the European Union, has a long tradition in mathematics, engineering and information technology and has a well-developed IT community.
But in the new AI economy, this may not be enough.
Investors will look for locations where technology infrastructure can be expanded over the long term and where the necessary resources can be reliably provided.
This is where a factor often left out of the public conversation comes into play.
Energy is becoming part of the digital economy
Artificial intelligence cannot exist without electricity.
The larger data centers become, the more important the available network capacity and the ability to connect new capacities to the electricity system become.
This means that the future technological competitiveness of a region will depend not only on internet connections and specialists.
It will also depend on energy infrastructure.
In some regions, it is precisely the lack of sufficient network capacity, transformers and connection options is already becoming a constraint for new data centers.
That's why the energy and technology industries are becoming increasingly intertwined.
What is the role of renewable energy?
Technology companies are increasingly placing requirements on the origin of electricity.
Many large international companies are striving to reduce the carbon footprint of their data centers.
That's why they are entering into long-term contracts for the supply of electricity from new renewable capacities.
In this context, wind and solar energy can be part of the energy mix that supports the development of the digital economy.
Of course, neither wind nor solar energy can guarantee uninterrupted power supply on their own.
Necessary are:
a modern electricity transmission network, various production sources, storage, balancing and reserve capacity systems.
But new renewable sources can be an important part of this system.
An opportunity for Northeastern Bulgaria?
This also raises an interesting question for Northeastern Bulgaria.
A region like Dobrudja has traditionally been seen primarily as an agricultural region.
But in the future its economic importance may also be determined by other factors.
If a region simultaneously has:
good energy potential,
a modernized electricity transmission network,
digital connectivity,
appropriate infrastructure
and an active investment policy,
it can become interesting not only for electricity production.
It may also become interesting for new industrial and technological investments.
This does not mean that the construction of wind power will automatically lead to data centers or AI companies.
But access to energy can be one of the important elements in a larger regional development strategy.
From an agricultural region to a technological potential?
Here the question becomes bigger than the topic of electricity.
What regions does Bulgaria want to have in ten or twenty years?
Will some of them be only producers of raw materials and agricultural products?
Or can they attract new industries, technologies and highly skilled jobs?
The AI revolution can change the economic map of Europe much faster than we expect.
And countries that prepare the necessary infrastructure in time can gain a significant advantage.
The big question
Artificial intelligence is already changing the world.
But its development will not be determined only by algorithms.
It will also depend on the infrastructure that stands behind them.
Therefore, the question for Bulgaria is not only:
Will we use artificial intelligence?
Will we be part of the economy it creates?
And if we want the answer to be positive, the decisions for infrastructure, education, investment and energy must start today.
This article is part of the series for the upcoming documentary film
„WIND - MORE THAN ENERGY“
Director: Neddy John Cross