SoftBank is in advanced talks with French President Emmanuel Macron to build Europe's largest AI data center in France. The project, valued at up to $100 billion, would position France as the continent's leading AI hub.
Founder Masayoshi Son met with Macron in Tokyo last month. An official announcement could come at the Choose France Summit, Macron's flagship event for foreign investment.
This initiative is part of Son's global AI infrastructure push. SoftBank recently reported a $30 billion profit, fueled by AI bets including stakes in OpenAI. In March 2026, SoftBank announced a similar mega-project in Ohio, with potential costs up to $500 billion.
Macron has aggressively courted tech investment, aiming to make France Europe's answer to Silicon Valley. French AI firm Mistral AI is a rising competitor to US large language models.
Investors should note SoftBank's history of grand commitments that don't always materialize. The deal is still fluid, and final details on capacity, timeline, and energy sourcing are pending. The Choose France Summit is the next key event to watch.