Paris, May 31 (SANA) Japanese SoftBank Group plans to invest up to €75 billion ($87 billion) to develop 5 gigawatts of artificial intelligence data center capacity in France, significantly expanding the country’s AI infrastructure as demand for computing power continues to grow.
In a statement on Saturday, SoftBank said the first phase of the project would involve a €45 billion investment to build 3.1 gigawatts of data center capacity in the Hauts-de-France region by 2031.
The plan follows discussions between French President Emmanuel Macron and SoftBank founder Masayoshi Son during Macron’s visit to Japan earlier this year. The project is expected to be formally announced at the Choose France Summit.
Initial development sites include Dunkirk, Bosquel and Bouchain, with additional projects planned elsewhere in France. Schneider Electric is expected to partner on the Dunkirk site to support AI infrastructure and robotics manufacturing.
The initiative comes as part of SoftBank’s broader global expansion in AI infrastructure, including a large-scale data center project in Ohio and participation in the $500 billion Stargate initiative alongside OpenAI, Oracle and Abu Dhabi-based investment firm MGX. SoftBank has also committed more than $60 billion to OpenAI.
The expansion strategy reflects rising global demand for AI computing capacity, although questions remain about financing after reports that the group scaled back plans for a margin loan backed by its OpenAI stake.
Macron has promoted investment in domestic AI capabilities and French technology companies, including startup Mistral AI, as part of efforts to strengthen France’s position in the global AI sector.
M.F / ABD
