SoftBank Pledges €75B for 5 GW AI Data Centers in France

SoftBank Group announced a commitment of up to €75 billion to develop 5 gigawatts of artificial intelligence data center capacity in France. The pledge, unveiled at the 2026 Choose France summit in Paris, was confirmed in the presence of President Emmanuel Macron.

The first phase covers a €45 billion package to build 3.1 GW across three sites in the Hauts-de-France region, with the target completion year of 2031. SoftBank said it will expand to additional locations in France as it works toward the 5 GW goal. The company plans to partner with SB Energy and other development and operations partners for the program.

At the Port of Dunkirk, SoftBank will co-develop a manufacturing cluster with Schneider Electric. The cluster will include two facilities: one operated by SoftBank to produce data center enclosures and another run by Schneider Electric to assemble power modules. The companies intend the cluster to support a more localized supply chain for AI hardware in France and Europe.

EDF will supply low-carbon electricity to the Bouchain data center site by repurposing a former industrial asset to provide power to the facility. SoftBank highlighted the availability of low-carbon power as a key factor in its decision to build in France.

SoftBank expects the program to create thousands of jobs in engineering, robotics, energy systems and data center operations. The company also plans research partnerships with local universities and training institutions to support workforce development.

SoftBank has shifted investment emphasis from blockchain to expanded AI ventures in recent quarters. The company noted that global investment in AI reached $242 billion in the first quarter of 2026 and described the French program as part of a wider effort to build physical computing infrastructure and strengthen European supply chains for compute hardware.

Masayoshi Son, SoftBank chairman and CEO, commented on the announcement: “AI is entering a new era, and the countries that build the infrastructure for this transformation will shape the future of technology, industry and society. France is uniquely positioned to become a leading AI infrastructure hub in Europe.”