Japanese technology investor SoftBank will invest 75 billion euros ($87.5 billion) in artificial intelligence infrastructure in France. SoftBank founder Masayoshi Son revealed what is one of Europe’s largest AI-related investment commitments.
Speaking to French weekly La Tribune Dimanche ahead of an investment conference hosted by President Emmanuel Macron, Son said the package would represent the largest AI infrastructure investment in Europe.
Son said his decision followed a meeting with Macron in Tokyo in April and was influenced by France’s status as an energy producer and exporter, a key consideration for power-intensive data centres.”The fact that the country is an energy producer and exporter is absolutely crucial for infrastructure investments in artificial intelligence, especially for data centres,” Son revealed.
The plan includes 45 billion euros to be invested by 2031 in data centres in the Hauts-de-France region in northern France. French electrical equipment maker Schneider Electric will partner with SoftBank on the project, Chief Executive Olivier Blum said, who described it as the largest undertaking of its kind in France.
Blum said France had about 1.5 gigawatts of installed data-centre capacity at the end of 2025, while the new project would initially add 3 gigawatts and could eventually expand to as much as 5 gigawatts.
The investment is a significant boost to Macron’s efforts to attract high-technology industries and position France as a leading European hub for artificial intelligence.
Blum said Schneider Electric would oversee the design and supply of equipment for the project and build a factory in the northern port city of Dunkirk.
The first three data centres are planned for Dunkirk and locations near the northern cities of Cambrai and Amiens.France has identified 35 sites capable of supporting large-scale data centres with sufficient energy and infrastructure.
Macron has repeatedly argued that Europe must accelerate AI development to avoid falling behind the United States and China.
Son acknowledged that matching the United States’ lead in innovation would be challenging, but said Europe must find a balance between innovation and regulation to remain competitive in the global AI race.
SoftBank holds an 11% stake in AI company openai.com, the developer of ChatGPT.Son also cited Macron’s commitment to France’s economic development as a factor behind the investment, despite SoftBank’s historical focus on the United States and Asia.