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SoftBank Group announced plans to invest up to €75 billion — roughly $87 billion — to develop and operate 5 gigawatts of AI data center capacity in France, marking the company's largest AI infrastructure commitment in Europe.
Under the first phase, SoftBank has earmarked €45 billion to bring 3.1 GW of data center capacity online in the Hauts-de-France region before the end of 2031, the company said. Sites are planned for Dunkirk (Loon-Plage), Bosquel, and Bouchain. Additional sites across France are planned as part of the broader buildout.
At a Monday press briefing alongside French President Emmanuel Macron, Son put his signature on the €75 billion commitment and suggested the total figure balloons to roughly $750 billion once the broader system is factored in, CNBC reported. Son noted that major cloud providers are among the venture's customers and that SoftBank is pooling project financing to fund the effort.
A large-scale industrial production cluster at the Port of Dunkirk will be developed jointly with French engineering firm Schneider Electric, SoftBank said. The cluster will include two facilities: one operated by SoftBank Group to manufacture enclosures, and one operated by Schneider Electric to integrate data center power modules, the company said.
