SoftBank is in discussions with French President Emmanuel Macron over what would be the largest AI data center project ever built on European soil. The potential investment could reach up to $100 billion, positioning France as the continent’s premier hub for artificial intelligence infrastructure.
The talks originated from a recent meeting in Tokyo between SoftBank founder Masayoshi Son and Macron. An announcement could coincide with the Choose France Summit, Macron’s signature event for courting foreign investment into the country.
Son’s global AI infrastructure blitz
SoftBank recently reported a net profit exceeding $30 billion, roughly quadrupling its previous results, driven largely by AI-related investments and stakes in entities like OpenAI.
Back in March 2026, SoftBank revealed a significant AI data center initiative in Ohio with reports suggesting costs could climb as high as $500 billion.
