“Creating thousands of high-skilled jobs”: SoftBank invests 75 billion euros in French AI data centers

Japanese technology investment group SoftBank announced plans to develop and operate 5GW of AI data center capacity in France in a €75 billion investment.

The project is part of a broader wave of technology-related investments in France. President Emmanuel Macron said on Monday that the country expects foreign investment commitments worth 93 billion euros at this year’s Choose France summit, including projects in artificial intelligence, data centers, semiconductors, critical minerals, transport, steel and healthcare.

This would initially include 45 billion euros from SoftBank until 2031 for the first phase of its project in northern France. This will provide 3.1 GW of capacity in the Hauts-de-France region, with sites planned in Dunkirk (Loon-Plage), Bosquel and Bouchain.

Masayoshi Son, chairman and CEO of SoftBank Group, said: “AI is entering a new era, and the countries that build the infrastructure for this change will shape the future of….”