SoftBank Announces Record €75 Billion AI Infrastructure Investment in France

Japanese investment giant SoftBank has unveiled a historic €75 billion investment plan in France to develop AI-related infrastructure, marking the largest investment of its kind in Europe. According to SoftBank’s president Masayoshi Son, €45 billion of this total will be allocated by 2031, primarily focusing on the construction of data centers in the Hauts-de-France region, including sites at Loon-Plage, Bouchain, and Bosquel.

This announcement precedes the ninth Choose France summit at the Château de Versailles, where President Emmanuel Macron will continue to promote France's attractiveness for foreign investments. The 2025 summit had already set records with €20 billion in investment projects. Son cited his meeting with Macron during the French president's official Tokyo visit in April as a decisive step for this commitment, highlighting Macron's dedication to France's economic success as a key factor.

A pivotal advantage for this investment is France's energy profile; the country produces 95% decarbonized electricity, which is crucial for the energy-intensive data centers. EDF has praised France's ability to support large-scale digital infrastructure. Partnering with SoftBank, Schneider Electric will assist by providing design and equipment supplies for these data centers, initially targeting a capacity of 3 gigawatts that could expand to 5 gigawatts.

The French government underscores the importance of data centers for national sovereignty and the AI sector’s development, as emphasized by AI and digital minister Anne Le Hénanff. The government’s strategy for attracting investment relies on favorable tax policies, regulatory simplifications, and plentiful decarbonized energy.

While France leads Europe in foreign investments, attracting €87 billion from 230 projects since 2018, some experts, like Exaion CEO Fatih Balyeli, caution about sovereignty concerns and the practical realization of such investments. Exaion itself, a French data center utilizing recycled supercomputers, highlights the complex balance between foreign investment and national control over digital infrastructure.

SoftBank, a major global telecom and tech investor and 11% owner of OpenAI, aims to support Europe in balancing innovation with regulation to compete globally with the US and China. This record investment positions France to become a global AI leader and strengthen its digital sovereignty, aided by government facilitation and strategic partnerships.