SoftBank plans to invest up to €75 billion ($87 billion) to build AI data centre capacity in France. This project represents the Japanese conglomerate's largest AI infrastructure commitment in Europe. CEO Masayoshi Son and President Emmanuel Macron are expected to formally announce the deal at the Choose France Summit this weekend.
Once completed, the planned 5 GW capacity would make it Europe's largest data centre project. The investment, described as the biggest of its kind so far in Europe, would deliver 3.1 GW of capacity as the region seeks to expand AI infrastructure to compete with the US and Asia.
The agreement is the result of personal diplomacy between President Macron and SoftBank founder Masayoshi Son, who met in Tokyo in April. Son, 68, stated that France's status as an energy exporter played a key role in the decision, noting that data centers are huge consumers of energy.