SoftBank Pledges Up to €75 Billion for AI Data Centers in France SoftBank’s latest megaproject has turned France into a central test case for how far a country will go to court artificial intelligence investment while facing rising scrutiny over cost, power use and financing.

Early signals and soft diplomacy

Ahead of the 2026 Choose France summit, reports emerged that Masayoshi Son was preparing his biggest European AI gamble, planning to invest as much as €75 billion to build 5 gigawatts of AI data centre capacity in France. The scheme was quickly framed as placing France “at the centre” of SoftBank’s global AI ambitions.

Personal diplomacy played a key role. Son said he was “very impressed by the fact that Emmanuel Macron is so personally committed to ensuring France’s economic success,” after the French president approached him directly during a visit to Japan earlier in the year.

The formal announcement at Choose France

On May 30, 2026, SoftBank confirmed it would invest up to €75 billion to develop and operate 5 GW of AI data centre capacity in France, calling it its largest AI infrastructure investment in Europe. The company detailed a first phase worth €45 billion to deliver 3.1 GW by 2031 across three sites in the Hauts‑de‑France region: Dunkirk (Loon‑Plage), Bosquel and Bouchain.

The commitment was formally unveiled at the Choose France summit, hosted by Macron, and billed as one of Europe’s largest AI infrastructure programmes.

Competing narratives: growth, sovereignty, and risk

From SoftBank’s side, Son cast the project in geopolitical terms: “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.” He argued France’s industrial base, talent and nuclear-powered grid make it “uniquely positioned to become a leading AI infrastructure hub in Europe.”

French officials echoed that framing. Economy minister Roland Lescure called the plan a “testament to President Emmanuel Macron’s ambition to position France as a leading destination all along the AI value chain,” tying it to jobs, digital infrastructure and “digital sovereignty.”

Yet the scale of the pledge also sharpened questions. Globally, opposition to data centres is growing over environmental impacts and grid strain, while analysts note SoftBank has already floated other colossal AI infrastructure schemes and has had to scale back a planned $10 billion margin loan against its OpenAI stake, raising doubts over how all these parallel commitments will be financed.

French backers and SoftBank, however, are betting that locking in power‑hungry AI infrastructure now will secure a durable advantage in Europe’s next technology race.

1. Financial Times – “SoftBank pledges €75bn to build Europe’s biggest AI facility in France”: Masayoshi Son places France at the centre of his global AI ambitions. https://www.ft.com/content/1022f9bd-5b6d-44a5-9303-c8b05b8c6463

2. TechCrunch – “SoftBank says it will invest up to €75 billion to build French data centers”: Up to €75bn for 5 GW of data centre capacity, with the first 3.1 GW in Dunkirk, Bosquel and Bouchain by 2031; described by France as proof of Macron’s AI ambitions amid global environmental concerns over data centres. https://techcrunch.com/2026/05/30/softbank-says-it-will-invest-up-to-e75-billion-to-build-french-data-centers/

3. The Next Web – “SoftBank is investing €75 billion to build 5 gigawatts of AI data centres in France. It’s Son’s biggest European bet.”: Details the €45bn first phase, Son–Macron personal diplomacy, earlier talk of a $100bn idea, and financing questions around SoftBank’s broader AI mega‑projects. https://thenextweb.com/news/softbank-75-billion-ai-data-centres-france-macron

4. AI Magazine – “SoftBank to Build 5 GW of AI Data Centres in France”: Confirms the 5 GW, €75bn programme, the €45bn initial investment in Hauts‑de‑France, Son’s statement on AI infrastructure, and Lescure’s comments on jobs, infrastructure and digital sovereignty. https://aimagazine.com/news/softbank-to-build-5-gw-of-ai-data-centres-in-france

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