SoftBank says it will invest up to €75 billion to build French data centers

TechCrunch AI News
softbank data-centers investment ai-infrastructure france

Summary

SoftBank announced a plan to invest up to €75 billion ($87 billion) to build data centers in France, aiming to deliver up to 5 gigawatts of capacity, with the first phase providing 3.1 GW by 2031.

The goal, the firm said, is to develop and operate up to 5 gigawatts of additional data center capacity.
Original Article
View Cached Full Text

Cached at: 05/30/26, 09:50 PM

# SoftBank says it will invest up to €75 billion to build French data centers | TechCrunch Source: [https://techcrunch.com/2026/05/30/softbank-says-it-will-invest-up-to-e75-billion-to-build-french-data-centers/](https://techcrunch.com/2026/05/30/softbank-says-it-will-invest-up-to-e75-billion-to-build-french-data-centers/) In Brief Posted: 2:45 PM PDT · May 30, 2026 ![](https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/GettyImages-2224533087.jpg?w=1024)**Image Credits:**Ulysse BELLIER / AFP / Getty ImagesSoftBank Group[announced today](https://group.softbank/en/news/press/20260531_0)that it plans to spend up to €75 billion \(around $87 billion\) to expand data center capacity in France\. The goal, the firm said, is to develop and operate up to 5 gigawatts of additional data center capacity\. The first phase of the plan involves building data centers in Dunkirk \(Loon\-Plage\), Bosquel, and Bouchain to deliver 3\.1 gigawatts of capacity to the Hauts\-de\-France region by 2031\. SoftBank, which is[both an investor in and customer of OpenAI](https://techcrunch.com/2025/11/05/softbank-openai-launch-new-joint-venture-in-japan-as-ai-deals-grow-ever-more-circular/), says this will be its largest AI infrastructure investment in Europe\. In a statement, French economic minister Roland Lescure described the announcement as a “testament to President Emmanuel Macron’s ambition to position France as a leading destination all along the AI value chain\.” In the United States,[opposition to data center construction is heating up](https://techcrunch.com/2026/02/25/the-public-opposition-to-ai-infrastructure-is-heating-up/)over environmental concerns, as well as questions about how data centers affect the electrical grid and utility prices\. Nonetheless, SoftBank earlier announced plans to build a data center in Ohio,[powered by a new 9\.2 gigawatt natural gas plant](https://techcrunch.com/2026/02/19/softbank-to-spend-an-eye-popping-33b-to-build-huge-u-s-gas-power-plant/)\. ### Newsletters Subscribe for the industry’s biggest tech news ## Related ## Latest in AI

Similar Articles

@mubeitech: SoftBank invests €75 billion to build an AI data center in France. Why France? Son's exact words: "Because Macron almost forced me to invest." Two months ago, Macron made a special trip to Japan to pressure Son. Son casually fobbed him off: "Okay, I'll give it a try." Macron directly pushed for a commitment: "What do you mean 'try'? Make it happen! Give me your word!"

X AI KOLs Timeline

SoftBank plans to invest €75 billion in an AI data center in France, driven by France's ample electricity supply and President Macron's active push. This reflects a shift in AI-era compute center site selection from capital flow to a contest of energy and political environment.

OpenAI and SoftBank Group partner with SB Energy

OpenAI Blog

OpenAI and SoftBank Group are each investing $500 million into SB Energy to support AI data center infrastructure development as part of the Stargate initiative, with OpenAI signing a 1.2 GW data center lease in Milam County, Texas. SB Energy will also become an OpenAI customer and secured an additional $800 million from Ares.