SoftBank Group Chairman Masayoshi Son announced plans to invest up to 14 trillion yen [1] in an AI-focused data centre in France.
The move signals a massive escalation in the global race to build the physical infrastructure required for artificial intelligence. By establishing a hub in Europe, SoftBank aims to diversify its technological footprint and secure a strategic foothold outside of Asia and the U.S.
Son detailed the plan during a meeting at the Élysée Palace with President Emmanuel Macron [2]. While some reports suggest the investment could reach as high as 1,000 billion USD [3], the primary announcement focused on the 14 trillion yen figure [1].
Son said the investment is a necessity for maintaining competitiveness against global superpowers. He said the U.S. and China are advancing rapidly, and that Europe, Japan, and other Asian nations cannot afford to fall behind.
"There is no choice," Son said. "The United States is moving rapidly, and China is also moving rapidly. Europe, Japan, and Asia cannot afford to lag behind. This is a matter of national security."
Beyond the data centre, Son said that SoftBank will continue to expand its presence in regions that are open to new technology. He said the company will deploy in countries and locations that actively embrace robotics.
The scale of the project underscores the immense capital requirements of the AI era, where the ability to process vast amounts of data depends on the availability of massive, energy-efficient computing clusters.
“"This is a matter of national security."”
This investment reflects a strategic shift to treat AI infrastructure as a geopolitical asset rather than just a commercial venture. By partnering with France, SoftBank is leveraging European sovereignty goals to create a counterweight to the dominant AI ecosystems in the U.S. and China, while simultaneously betting on the long-term integration of robotics and large-scale computing.
