SoftBank's Masayoshi Son in talks with French President Macron on potential multibillion-dollar AI data center investment

Masayoshi Son, chairman and CEO of SoftBank Group, is considering a multibillion-dollar investment in France for an AI data center project, with talks underway about unveiling the plan in the coming weeks.

Son has floated the idea of putting as much as $100 billion into the country, though he may not reach that figure if he prioritizes other projects. The initiative was proposed by President Emmanuel Macron during a recent meeting with Son in Tokyo.

Son was intrigued by the direct approach from a head of state and started reviewing the matter in earnest, as part of SoftBank's broader buildout of artificial intelligence infrastructure.