Source: Fortune
Summary
SoftBank Group plans to invest up to €75 billion ($87 billion) in France to build 5 gigawatts of artificial intelligence data center capacity, with the first phase involving a €45 billion investment to deliver 3.1 gigawatts by 2031. The investment follows personal diplomacy between Emmanuel Macron and SoftBank founder Masayoshi Son. SoftBank also plans to develop additional sites across France, reinforcing the country’s role as a leading European hub for next-generation digital infrastructure.
Our Reading
The numbers tell one story.
SoftBank’s investment in France is its largest AI infrastructure investment in Europe. The company plans to build data centers in Dunkirk, Bosquel, and Bouchain, with Schneider Electric as a partner in Dunkirk. The investment is part of SoftBank’s growing ambitions to secure data center bases in major locations across the globe. Masayoshi Son has been impressed by Emmanuel Macron’s personal commitment to ensuring France’s economic success.
The announcement sounds like a familiar tune, with a major investment in AI infrastructure, a high-profile partnership, and a promise to create a hub for AI and robotics manufacturing.
Author: Evan Null
