Airbus is set to migrate its sensitive digital systems from Google’s cloud services to a European sovereign cloud due to concerns over US jurisdiction and data sovereignty. The decision comes amid a class-action lawsuit against Google in the US, alleging privacy violations linked to its AI assistant, Gemini. Google has denied the allegations.
The European aerospace corporation plans to tender a major contract, valued at over €50 million, to migrate its mission-critical workloads to a European cloud provider. The move aims to ensure that sensitive industrial information remains under European control. Airbus executive vice president of digital, Catherine Jestin, emphasized the need for a sovereign cloud to protect extremely sensitive information from a national and European perspective.
The company, which currently uses Google Workspace, plans to move key on-premises systems, including production, business management, and aircraft design data, to the new cloud platform. Airbus estimates an 80% chance of finding a European provider that meets its technical and legal requirements. The tender is expected to launch in early January, with a decision due before summer.
The move is significant, given Airbus’s position as a leading global aircraft manufacturer. The company has led the global aircraft order race for the past six years but acknowledged that US rival Boeing is likely to overtake it this year. CEO Guillaume Faury attributed Boeing’s advantage to political backing during trade negotiations, including major aircraft purchases.
Airbus’s decision to migrate to a European sovereign cloud highlights the growing importance of data sovereignty and security concerns for multinational corporations. As companies increasingly rely on cloud services, they must navigate complex jurisdictional issues and ensure that sensitive information is protected. The outcome of Airbus’s tender and the success of its migration to a European cloud provider will be closely watched, given the significance of the company’s operations and the potential implications for the global aerospace industry.