Japanese investment giant SoftBank is making a massive bet on France, announcing plans to invest €75 billion to develop and operate 5 gigawatts of AI data center capacity in the country.
The move is part of a broader wave of tech investment, with President Emmanuel Macron announcing €93 billion in foreign commitments at the Choose France summit. Projects span AI, semiconductors, healthcare, and more.
SoftBank's initial phase, worth €45 billion by 2031, will deliver 3.1 GW in northern France across sites in Dunkirk, Bosquel, and Bouchain.
'AI is entering a new era, and the countries that build the infrastructure for this transformation will shape the future,' said SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son. He called France 'uniquely positioned to become a leading AI infrastructure hub in Europe.'
The facilities will support AI companies, cloud providers, and research institutions. The investment is expected to create thousands of high-skilled jobs in engineering, robotics, and advanced manufacturing.
SoftBank is partnering with French energy firm EDF on the Bouchain project and with Schneider Electric at the Port of Dunkirk, aiming to strengthen local supply chains for AI infrastructure.