SoftBank Announces Historic €75 Billion Investment in French Data Centers at Choose France Summit

At the 2026 Choose France summit held at the Château de Versailles, Japanese investment giant SoftBank unveiled a monumental €75 billion investment plan to develop a network of state-of-the-art data centers across France. The initiative will concentrate on three sites in the Hauts-de-France region and is part of France’s broader strategy to bolster its technological infrastructure, particularly in the artificial intelligence (AI) sector.

This announcement follows high-level discussions in Tokyo between French President Emmanuel Macron and SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son, where France’s advantages as a hub for AI and technology investments were highlighted. The first phase of infrastructure deployment related to this vast investment is slated for completion by 2031.

The Choose France summit serves as a platform to showcase France’s increasing economic attractiveness amid fierce global competition for industrial and technological projects. The event also coincides with the release of several key economic indicators including May’s automobile sales data, housing and commercial construction statistics for April, and the PMI manufacturing index for May, providing a comprehensive view of the French economic landscape.

Furthermore, the summit underscores France’s efforts to reinforce its position in high-tech sectors while attracting significant foreign direct investment, which is crucial for the country’s economic momentum. The initiative from SoftBank is expected to significantly enhance France’s digital infrastructure and support its ambitions in the AI domain.

As the summit unfolds, attention remains on how this massive investment will impact regional development and the broader European tech ecosystem, reflecting France's commitment to being a major player in the global technology race.