SoftBank plans up to €75 billion investment in French AI data centers, with initial €45 billion phase to deliver 3.1 gigawatts by 2031

SoftBank Group Corp. plans to invest as much as €75 billion ($87 billion) to build 5 gigawatts of AI data center capacity in France. The first phase comprises an initial €45 billion investment to deliver 3.1 gigawatts in the Hauts-de-France region by 2031, with data centers planned in Dunkirk, Bosquel, and Bouchain.

The commitment reflects personal diplomacy between Emmanuel Macron and SoftBank founder Masayoshi Son. According to Bloomberg, Son was intrigued by Macron's direct approach as a head of state and began reviewing the matter in earnest, with Macron championing the idea of countries beyond the US and China building their own AI infrastructure.

Schneider Electric SE is set to be a partner in Dunkirk, with a goal of creating a hub for AI infrastructure and robotics manufacturing. The announcement is expected to be formally made during the Choose France Summit, an annual gathering of industry leaders to attract investment and promote France's business appeal.

This follows SoftBank's March announcement of a large-scale data center project in Ohio, potentially channeling $500 billion to install 10 gigawatts of capacity, and overlaps with a $500 billion Stargate initiative in partnership with OpenAI, Oracle Corp., and Abu Dhabi's MGX.