SoftBank plans up to €75 billion investment to build 5 gigawatts of AI data center capacity in France by 2031

SoftBank Group announced Saturday that it will invest as much as €75 billion ($87 billion) to build 5 gigawatts of artificial intelligence data center capacity in France, describing it as the company's biggest AI infrastructure investment in Europe.

The first phase comprises an initial €45 billion investment to deliver 3.1 gigawatts of AI data center capacity in the Hauts-de-France region by 2031.

The commitment reflects personal diplomacy between Emmanuel Macron and SoftBank founder Masayoshi Son, who met during the French president's visit to Japan this year, with France positioned as a top European hub for AI infrastructure.