SoftBank Invests €45 Billion in French AI Infrastructure

Japan's SoftBank Group announced on Saturday a commitment to invest €45 billion over the next five years to develop artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure in France. This investment, described as Europe's largest of its kind, will primarily target the northern Hauts-de-France region, aiming to deliver 3.1 GW of capacity. The formal announcement is scheduled for Monday at the annual Choose France business conference.

SoftBank's plan includes establishing three operational sites by 2031, with one located in Dunkirk. French engineering firm Schneider Electric will serve as a key partner, providing equipment for these facilities. State-owned nuclear energy giant EDF is also involved, transferring a former power plant to SoftBank for conversion into a data center. SoftBank founder Masayoshi Son cited France's energy production and export capabilities as a decisive factor for AI infrastructure investments.

This initial commitment is part of a broader strategy, with SoftBank indicating that additional sites across France could push the total investment to €75 billion. This move aligns with SoftBank's global AI infrastructure spending, which includes over $30 billion invested in OpenAI for an approximately 11% stake. The investment supports France's efforts, initiated by President Emmanuel Macron in 2018, to attract foreign capital through the Choose France summit.