SoftBank plans 75 billion euros of AI investments in France

Japan’s SoftBank Group said on Sunday it plans to invest 45 billion euros ($53 billion) over the next five years to build artificial intelligence infrastructure in France.

The tech giant said the commitment is part of a 75 billion euro program to roll out 5GW of AI data center capacity in France.

Softbank said the first phase of the plan involves building 3.1 GW of AI data centers in the northern Hauts-de-France region, including Dunkirk, Bosquel and Bouchain, by 2031.

“This commitment marks SoftBank Group’s largest AI infrastructure investment in Europe,” Softbank said. expression. “It is designed to support the rapid growth of artificial intelligence by expanding access to high-performance computing capacity in France.”

The investment plans are expected to be officially announced on Monday.

Softbank CEO Masayoshi Son said, “Artificial intelligence is entering a new era, and the countries that form the infrastructure of this transformation will shape the future of technology, industry and society.” “SoftBank is proud to make this major commitment to France. With its industrial capabilities, talent base and national ambition, France is uniquely positioned to become Europe’s leading AI infrastructure hub.”

Softbank announces partnership with French engineering company Schneider Electric developing a large-scale industrial production cluster in Dunkirk as part of the construction.

Softbank’s shareIt is up more than 70% so far in 2026, with expectations that investments in AI infrastructure will reap huge rewards.

The Japanese company’s fortunes are closely tied to the AI ​​boom, thanks to its stake in Arm Holdings and investments in OpenAI, whose chip designs are used in AI servers and data centers powered by Nvidia systems.

Softbank poured more than $30 billion into OpenAI for a total investment gain of $45 billion in the company in the year ended March.

As the US and China dominate the AI ​​boom, Europe’s high energy costs have become a major obstacle to becoming a global AI superpower.

The region aims to get ahead in the artificial intelligence arms race by increasing computing capacity and creating the critical infrastructure needed for the technology. But power-hungry data centers mean investments are particularly sensitive to the cost of energy, and prices in Europe are rising amid the US-Iran war.

Data center projects will move to parts of Europe at lower energy costs, creating winners and losers across the continent, experts say.

– CNBC’s George Bextor contributed to this story.