SoftBank is investing €75 billion to build 5 gigawatts of AI data centres in France. It’s Son’s biggest European bet. SoftBank plans to invest up to €75 billion in France to develop 5 gigawatts of AI data centre capacity, marking its largest European AI infrastructure commitment. The first phase involves €45 billion for 3.1 gigawatts across three sites by 2031, with Schneider Electric as a partner for the Dunkirk site. This investment highlights personal diplomacy between SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son and French President Emmanuel Macron, positioning France as a key player in AI infrastructure due to its political stability and nuclear-powered energy grid.

• SoftBank will invest up to €75 billion ($87 billion) in France to build 5 gigawatts of AI data centre capacity.
• This represents SoftBank’s largest AI infrastructure commitment in Europe.
• The first phase includes €45 billion to deliver 3.1 gigawatts across three sites in Hauts-de-France by 2031.
• Schneider Electric is a strategic partner for the Dunkirk site, creating a hub for AI infrastructure and robotics manufacturing.
• The deal was influenced by personal diplomacy between SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son and French President Emmanuel Macron.
• France’s nuclear-powered energy grid provides a low-carbon advantage for data centres compared to other European countries and SoftBank’s US projects.
• The investment validates France’s ‘sovereign AI’ policy, aiming to build independent data and technology infrastructure. Continue reading https://thenextweb.com/news/softbank-75-billion-ai-data-centres-france-macron