SoftBank Group Corp. plans to invest up to €75 billion [1] to build AI-focused data center capacity in France.
The move signals a massive shift in European digital infrastructure, aiming to meet the escalating compute demands of artificial intelligence while anchoring the continent's AI capabilities. By partnering with the French government, SoftBank seeks to establish a dominant foothold in the global AI race.
CEO Masayoshi Son is leading the initiative in partnership with President Emmanuel Macron. The project targets a total capacity of approximately five GW [2]. The first phase of the rollout will focus on the Hauts-de-France region in northern France [3].
According to project outlines, this initial phase aims to deliver 3.1 GW of capacity by 2031 at a cost of €45 billion [4]. This phased approach allows the company to scale infrastructure as the demand for generative AI, and large-scale model training, grows.
Son said he was "impressed" [5] with the opportunities in the region. The investment is designed to place SoftBank at the center of global artificial intelligence ambitions [6].
The partnership leverages France's energy grid and strategic location to support the high power requirements of modern AI chips. By focusing on the Hauts-de-France region, the project utilizes specific regional advantages to accelerate the deployment of these data centers [3].
“SoftBank plans to invest up to €75 billion to build AI-focused data center capacity totaling about five GW in France.”
This investment represents a strategic bet on France as the primary gateway for AI compute in Europe. By committing €75 billion, SoftBank is not merely buying hardware but is integrating itself into the French national infrastructure. The scale of five GW suggests a move toward 'sovereign AI,' where the physical layer of computing becomes a matter of national economic security and geopolitical influence.
