SoftBank to build up AI data centres in France with major investment
Masayoshi Son said France’s low-carbon power grid and Macron’s push for sovereign AI made the country SoftBank’s biggest European AI infrastructure bet.
- On Saturday, SoftBank Group announced plans to invest up to €75 billion in France to build 5 gigawatts of artificial intelligence data center capacity, positioning the country as a top European hub.
- Personal diplomacy between SoftBank founder Masayoshi Son and President Emmanuel Macron drove the commitment, with Son stating that France's energy production is "absolutely decisive for investments in AI infrastructure."
- The first phase comprises an initial €45 billion investment to deliver 3.1 gigawatts of capacity in the Hauts-de-France region by 2031, with partner Schneider Electric developing sites in Dunkirk, Bosquel, and Bouchain.
- Officials will formally announce the investment on Monday at the annual Choose France summit, which French economic minister Roland Lescure called a "testament to President Emmanuel Macron's ambition" in the AI value chain.
- This project expands SoftBank's global AI infrastructure efforts, which include a $500 billion Stargate initiative in the United States and more than $60 billion invested in OpenAI for approximately 13% stake.
48 Articles
48 Articles
The Japanese SoftBank Group has announced a massive investment of 75 billion euros in infrastructure related to artificial intelligence in France, including 45 billion euros dedicated to the construction of data...
DECRYPTAGE - The Japanese group hit hard with this announcement, which will probably take several years to complete.
Japanese SoftBank is investing up to 75 billion euros in French AI data centers. The goal is to make Europe less dependent on artificial intelligence and computing power from the US.
The Japanese investment giant in SoftBank technologies will invest a record 75 billion euros in France "in infrastructure linked to artificial intelligence", announced its president, Masayoshi Son, in La Tribune Sunday. The announcement comes as part of the Choose France summit, which opens Monday, June 1, 2026.
SoftBank plans up to €75 billion investment in French AI data centers
Paris, May 31 (SANA) Japanese SoftBank Group plans to invest up to €75 billion ($87 billion) to develop 5 gigawatts of artificial intelligence data center capacity in France, significantly expanding the country’s AI infrastructure as demand for computing power continues to grow. In a statement on Saturday, SoftBank said the first phase of the project would involve a €45 billion investment to build 3.1 gigawatts of data center capacity in the Hau…
Two days before the opening of the annual large gathering, the company specializing in new technologies said, on Sunday 31 May, that it would inject a massive sum to develop the infrastructure linked to AI.
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