SoftBank commits €75 billion to build AI data centers in France, its largest European bet yet

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

SoftBank Group announced today 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, 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 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.

SoftBank to spend up to $87 billion on French AI data centers -- country offers ample nuclear grid that US sites lack

SoftBank Group will commit as much as €75 billion ($87 billion) to build five gigawatts of AI data center capacity across France, with a first €45 billion ($52 billion) phase delivering 3.1GW in the northern Hauts-de-France region by 2031. The Japanese group called it its largest AI infrastructure investment in Europe to date, with state-owned utility company EDF and France's Schneider Electric named as partners. Phase one covers three sites: Dunkirk's Loon-Plage, Bosquel, and Bouchain, and Masayoshi Son and President Emmanuel Macron are set to formalize the plan on Monday at the Choose France summit. What France offers is electricity: the country draws roughly 70% of its power from nuclear reactors run by EDF, is the world's largest net electricity exporter, and posts industrial power prices well under half the UK's. Son told the publication La Tribune du Dimanche that France being a producer and exporter of energy was "absolutely decisive" for AI infrastructure spending. EDF is contributing to the Bouchain site, a former power plant, which it will hand over for conversion. There's a stark contrast between this and SoftBank's American plans, where, to feed its planned 10GW data center in Ohio, the company has to build its own energy generation infrastructure in the form of a natural gas plant that'll cost roughly $33 billion to build and generate roughly 9.2GW. France lets it skip that step and plug into an existing low-carbon fleet, sidestepping the strained grids and rising local opposition slowing U.S. buildouts. With Schneider Electric, SoftBank plans to build an industrial cluster at the Port of Dunkirk, built around two plants, one run by SoftBank to make enclosures and one run by Schneider to integrate data center power modules That pulls SoftBank's automation work into prefabricated electrical kit, extending the company's vertical integration -- which already spans Arm, robotics, and its own water-based data center batteries -- even further. EDF chairman Bernard Fontana said in the announcement that the Bouchain project showed France's ability to host large-scale digital infrastructure on "competitive, sovereign and low-carbon electricity." The French investment adds to a global spending run that includes the Ohio project and more than $30 billion sunk into OpenAI for an 11% stake. SoftBank carries over $130 billion in debt and took a $40 billion bridge loan in March to fund its latest OpenAI investment. The €75 billion figure is also a ceiling; only the €45 billion first phase and its 3.1GW are firm commitments, with the remaining sites described as plans for later. Follow Tom's Hardware on Google News, or add us as a preferred source, to get our latest news, analysis, & reviews in your feeds.

SoftBank to build up AI data centres in France with major investment

PARIS, May 30 (Reuters) - Japan's SoftBank Group (9984.T), opens new tab will invest €45 billion over the next five years in a push to build up artificial intelligence infrastructure in France, the company announced on Saturday. SoftBank said the investment, described as the biggest of its kind so far in Europe, would be made in the northern Hauts-de-France region and deliver 3.1 GW of capacity. The investment plans are due to be formally announced ⁠on Monday at the annual Choose France business conference. French engineering company Schneider Electric (SCHN.PA), opens new tab said it would be one of the project's key partners and equip the sites with its modules without disclosing financials. Three sites, including one in Dunkirk, are expected to come into operation by 2031. Additional sites spread across France are planned further down the road, SoftBank said, pushing the overall planned investment sum to €75 billion. "The fact that the ⁠country is a producer and exporter of energy is absolutely decisive for investments in AI infrastructure," SoftBank founder Masayoshi Son told the paper La Tribune du Dimanche. State-owned nuclear energy giant EDF is also part of the deal, ⁠handing one of its former power plants over to SoftBank to transform the site into a data centre. The French commitment adds to a global AI ⁠infrastructure spending spree by SoftBank. Its investments in AI also include over $30 billion invested in OpenAI so far, for about an ⁠11% stake. France has been using the Choose France summit to court foreign investors since it was launched by President Emmanuel Macron in 2018. reporting by Tassilo Hummel Editing by Tomasz Janowski and Franklin Paul Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab

SoftBank to build up AI data centers in France with major investment

Japan's SoftBank Group will invest 45 billion euros ($53 billion) over the next five years in a push to build up artificial intelligence infrastructure in France, the company announced on Saturday. SoftBank said the investment, described as the biggest of its kind so far in Europe, would be made in the northern Hauts-de-France region and deliver 3.1 GW of capacity. The investment plans are due to be formally announced on Monday at the annual Choose France business conference. French engineering company Schneider Electric said it would be one of the project's key partners and equip the sites with its modules without disclosing financials. Three sites, including one in Dunkirk, are expected to come into operation by 2031. Additional sites spread across France are planned further down the road, SoftBank said, pushing the overall planned investment sum to 75 billion euros ($87 billion). "The fact that the country is a producer and exporter of energy is absolutely decisive for investments in AI infrastructure," SoftBank founder Masayoshi Son told the paper La Tribune du Dimanche. State-owned nuclear energy giant EDF is also part of the deal, handing one of its former power plants over to SoftBank to transform the site into a data center. The French commitment adds to a global AI infrastructure spending spree by SoftBank. Its investments in AI also include over $30 billion invested in OpenAI so far, for about an 11% stake. France has been using the Choose France summit to court foreign investors since it was launched by President Emmanuel Macron in 2018.

SoftBank is investing €75 billion to build 5 gigawatts of AI data centres in France. It's Son's biggest European bet.

SoftBank plans to invest as much as €75 billion ($87 billion) to build 5 gigawatts of AI data centre capacity in France. It is the Japanese conglomerate's biggest AI infrastructure commitment in Europe. CEO Masayoshi Son and President Emmanuel Macron are expected to formally announce the deal at the Choose France Summit this weekend. The first phase comprises €45 billion to deliver 3.1 gigawatts across three sites in the Hauts-de-France region by 2031: Dunkirk, Bosquel, and Bouchain. Schneider Electric will be a strategic partner at the Dunkirk site, creating a hub for AI infrastructure and robotics manufacturing positioned to serve London, Brussels, and Amsterdam. The investment reflects personal diplomacy. Son was "very impressed by the fact that Emmanuel Macron is so personally committed to ensuring France's economic success," he told La Tribune. Macron approached Son directly during a visit to Japan earlier this year. Son, accustomed to fielding inquiries from corporate leaders, was intrigued by an approach from a head of state. Bloomberg had previously reported that Son floated the idea of investing as much as $100 billion in France. The confirmed figure of €75 billion is smaller but still represents one of the largest single infrastructure commitments any country has received for AI. The French plan adds to an extraordinary run of SoftBank AI infrastructure commitments. In March, the company announced a large-scale data centre project in Ohio that could channel $500 billion to install 10 gigawatts of capacity. That project would be powered by roughly $33 billion worth of natural gas-fired electricity. SoftBank is also a partner in the $500 billion Stargate initiative with OpenAI, Oracle, and Abu Dhabi's MGX to build data centres across the US. It has separately committed more than $60 billion to OpenAI for a roughly 13% stake. The cumulative scale of these commitments raises questions about financing. SoftBank scaled back plans for a $10 billion margin loan backed by its OpenAI stake after facing hesitation from some creditors, Bloomberg reported. The company and its bankers have discussed targeting as low as $6 billion. Whether Son can tap enough capital to deliver on all of his AI ambitions simultaneously is the question investors are watching most closely. The energy economics of European AI data centres are challenging. OpenAI paused its Stargate UK project over industrial electricity costs that run at more than four times US rates. France offers a structural advantage: its electricity grid is approximately 70% nuclear-powered, providing low-carbon baseload capacity that most European countries cannot match. The Gulf's AI data centre ambitions have been disrupted by war. Oil is at $100, the Strait of Hormuz is closed, and investment decisions are pausing. France's political stability and nuclear energy base position it as a lower-risk alternative for AI infrastructure investment that might otherwise flow to the Middle East. Macron has championed sovereign AI as a policy priority, arguing that countries beyond the US and China must build their own infrastructure to control their data and technology. France has backed Mistral AI, the Paris-based foundation model company that reached $300 million ARR earlier this year. SoftBank's commitment validates the sovereign AI thesis at a scale that no European government initiative has matched. The energy source matters. SoftBank's Ohio project runs on natural gas. xAI is spending $2.8 billion on gas turbines. France's nuclear grid means SoftBank's French data centres could operate on substantially lower-carbon power than its American equivalents. For Macron, that is both a climate argument and a competitive one. The Choose France Summit is Macron's annual showcase for attracting foreign investment. Previous editions have produced commitments from Microsoft, Google, and Amazon. SoftBank's €75 billion dwarfs them all. Whether the money arrives at the scale and pace announced is the test that every infrastructure megaproject faces. Son's track record on vision is extraordinary. His track record on execution is more complicated. France is betting that this time, the cheque clears.

SoftBank plans up to €75 billion investment in French AI centers | Fortune

SoftBank Group Corp. plans to invest as much as €75 billion ($87 billion) to build 5 gigawatts of artificial intelligence data center capacity in France, saying the country is poised to become a top European hub for AI infrastructure. The first phase comprises an initial €45 billion investment to deliver 3.1 gigawatts of AI data center capacity in the Hauts-de-France region by 2031, SoftBank said Saturday in a statement. The commitment, which SoftBank called its biggest AI infrastructure investments in Europe, reflect personal diplomacy between Emmanuel Macron and SoftBank founder Masayoshi Son, who met during the French president's visit to Japan this year. Bloomberg has reported that Son floated the idea of SoftBank investing as much as $100 billion in France. The Japanese investor, who was used to fielding similar inquiries from company leaders, was intrigued by an approach made directly by a head of state and started reviewing the matter in earnest. "I was very impressed by the fact that Emmanuel Macron is so personally committed to ensuring France's economic success, even though our investments have so far been concentrated mainly in the US, as well as in Japan and Asia," French outlet La Tribune cited Son as saying in an interview. SoftBank's initial investment plans to deliver data centers in Dunkirk, Bosquel and Bouchain. SoftBank also plans to develop additional sites across France, "reinforcing the country's role as a leading European hub for next-generation digital infrastructure," according to the company statement. Schneider Electric SE said it's set to be a partner in Dunkirk, with a goal of creating a hub for AI infrastructure and robotics manufacturing at a site well located to serve customers in London, Brussels and Amsterdam, Macron and Son are expected to formally announce the investment during the Choose France Summit, an annual gathering of industry leaders to attract investment and promote France's business appeal. The French plan follows SoftBank's announcement in March to launch a large-scale data center project in Ohio, potentially channeling $500 billion to install 10 gigawatts of capacity. It would be an AI computing complex powered with roughly $33 billion worth of natural gas-fired electricity. These undertakings come on top of a $500 billion Stargate initiative that SoftBank is working on in partnership with OpenAI, Oracle Corp. and Abu Dhabi's MGX to roll out data centers across the US. SoftBank has also committed to investing more than $60 billion in OpenAI for a stake of about 13%. The efforts highlight Son's growing ambitions to secure data center bases in major locations across the globe as AI companies race to acquire sufficient computing power and meet rising demand for their services. For SoftBank, the new ventures may help broaden its sources of AI-related revenue beyond ChatGPT. There are questions about whether Son can tap enough financing to realize all of his AI ambitions. SoftBank scaled back plans for a $10 billion margin loan backed by the OpenAI stake after facing hesitation from some creditors, Bloomberg reported. The Japanese conglomerate and bankers helping it seek the loan have mentioned targeting an amount as low as $6 billion. Macron has been an outspoken proponent of countries beyond the US and China building their own AI infrastructure, championing the idea of sovereign AI and investment in local players such as Mistral AI so nations can control their data and technology.

SoftBank to spend $87.5bn on AI centres in France: Son

Paris (France) (AFP) - Japanese tech investor SoftBank will spend 75 billion euros ($87.5 billion) on artificial intelligence infrastructure in France, its founder Masayoshi Son told a French newspaper in an interview released Saturday. "This will be the largest investment in Europe in infrastructure related to artificial intelligence: 75 billion euros in total," Son told La Tribune Dimanche weekly ahead of a French investment conference hosted by President Emmanuel Macron. He said it included 45 billion euros to be spent by 2031 on data centres in the Hauts-de-France region of northern France. French electrics giant Schneider will be a partner in the huge project, its chief executive Olivier Blum told AFP. "This is a significant partnership, a major project, the largest ever undertaken in France" in the sector, said Blum. "Up to now, there is roughly 1.5 gigawatts of installed data centre capacity in France at the end of 2025, and what's being announced now is that there will be an initial phase of 3.0 gigawatts followed by a second phase that could reach up to 5.0," he added. The announcement is a major boost to Macron's efforts to attract hi-tech industries to France, in competition with other European nations. Energy exporter Macron is to host an international investment conference at Versailles palace from Monday. Son, 68, said his decision was made after meeting Macron during a visit to Tokyo in April and that France's status as an energy exporter had played a key role. Data centres are huge consumers of energy. "The fact that the country is an energy producer and exporter is absolutely crucial for infrastructure investments in artificial intelligence, especially for data centres," said Son, whose company has an 11-percent stake in the OpenAI giant that runs the ChatGPT chatbot. The Japanese tycoon said he had also been impressed by Macron's "strong personal commitment to ensuring France's economic success, even though our investments have so far been concentrated primarily in the United States, and Japan and Asia". Blum said that Schneider would take part in the design and supply of all the equipment with a factory to be built at the channel port of Dunkirk. The first three data centres would be at Dunkirk and near the northern cities of Cambrai and Amiens, he added. France says it has 35 venues ready to provide enough energy and other infrastructure for data centres. Macron has repeatedly said that Europe must not let the United States and China take an insurmountable lead in AI. Son said that "catching up with the United States, currently the global centre of gravity for innovation, is a challenge for most other countries". Europe must, he added in the interview with Tribune, "find the right path" to reach a "balance" between innovation and regulation.

SoftBank to invest €75 billion in 5 GW French AI centres

SoftBank Group is set to invest up to $87 billion in France to build 5 gigawatts of AI data center capacity, aiming to establish the country as a premier European AI infrastructure hub. The initial phase involves a $45 billion investment for 3.1 gigawatts by 2031, driven by personal diplomacy between SoftBank's founder and French President Macron. SoftBank Group plans to invest as much as Rs 75 billion ($87 billion) to build 5 gigawatts of AI data centre capacity in France, saying the country is poised to become a top European hub for AI infrastructure. The first phase comprises an initial '45 billion investment to deliver 3.1 gigawatts of AI data centre capacity in the Hauts-de-France region by 2031, SoftBank said Saturday in a statement. US MarketsPowered By As on 30 May 2026, 01:30 AM IST S&P 500 Top Gainers Dell Technologies420.91(32.76%) NetApp174.29(22.39%) ServiceNow124.37(14.38%) IBM297.80(12.71%) Gainers" S&P 500 Top Losers Coterra Energy32.56(-8.62%) Clorox90.02(-6.42%) ResMed190.57(-6.32%) Intel114.68(-5.14%) Losers" The commitment, which SoftBank called its biggest AI infrastructure investments in Europe, reflect personal diplomacy between Emmanuel Macron and SoftBank founder Masayoshi Son, who met during the French president's visit to Japan this year. Bloomberg has reported that Son floated the idea of SoftBank investing as much as $100 billion in France. The Japanese investor, who was used to fielding similar inquiries from company leaders, was intrigued by an approach made directly by a head of state and started reviewing the matter in earnest. "I was very impressed by the fact that Emmanuel Macron is so personally committed to ensuring France's economic success, even though our investments have so far been concentrated mainly in the US, as well as in Japan and Asia," French outlet La Tribune cited Son as saying in an interview. SoftBank's initial investment plans to deliver data centers in Dunkirk, Bosquel and Bouchain. SoftBank also plans to develop additional sites across France, "reinforcing the country's role as a leading European hub for next-generation digital infrastructure," according to the company statement. Schneider Electric SE said it's set to be a partner in Dunkirk, with a goal of creating a hub for AI infrastructure and robotics manufacturing at a site well located to serve customers in London, Brussels and Amsterdam, Macron and Son are expected to formally announce the investment during the Choose France Summit, an annual gathering of industry leaders to attract investment and promote France's business appeal. The French plan follows SoftBank's announcement in March to launch a large-scale data center project in Ohio, potentially channeling $500 billion to install 10 gigawatts of capacity. It would be an AI computing complex powered with roughly $33 billion worth of natural gas-fired electricity. These undertakings come on top of a $500 billion Stargate initiative that SoftBank is working on in partnership with OpenAI, Oracle Corp. and Abu Dhabi's MGX to roll out data centers across the US. SoftBank has also committed to investing more than $60 billion in OpenAI for a stake of about 13%. The efforts highlight Son's growing ambitions to secure data center bases in major locations across the globe as AI companies race to acquire sufficient computing power and meet rising demand for their services. For SoftBank, the new ventures may help broaden its sources of AI-related revenue beyond ChatGPT. There are questions about whether Son can tap enough financing to realize all of his AI ambitions. SoftBank scaled back plans for a $10 billion margin loan backed by the OpenAI stake after facing hesitation from some creditors, Bloomberg reported. The Japanese conglomerate and bankers helping it seek the loan have mentioned targeting an amount as low as $6 billion. Macron has been an outspoken proponent of countries beyond the US and China building their own AI infrastructure, championing the idea of sovereign AI and investment in local players such as Mistral AI so nations can control their data and technology.

Emmanuel Macron Says Nebius, SoftBank Chose France As AI Commitments Reach $61.7 Billion; Son Says Infras

French President Emmanuel Macron Monday said in a post on X, the investments would create thousands of jobs and help establish the country as Europe's leading destination for AI infrastructure and development. One Of Europe's Largest AI Investment Waves SoftBank said it plans to invest an initial €45 billion to develop 3.1 gigawatts of AI-focused data center capacity in France's Hauts-de-France region by 2031, including in Dunkirk, Bosquel and Bouchain. The investment marks the first phase of a broader initiative that could see SoftBank deploy up to €75 billion to build and operate 5 gigawatts of AI data center capacity across France. "AI is entering a new era, and the countries that build the infrastructure for this transformation will shape the future of technology, industry and society," Softbank CEO Masayoshi Son said in a statement over the weekend. The investments underscore growing competition among countries to attract the computing capacity needed to support increasingly powerful AI models and services. Nebius plans to invest more than €8 billion in cloud infrastructure and services in the country, targeting 240 megawatts of capacity and creating what Macron described as one of Europe's most powerful AI computing sites. The deals formed part of a broader slate of investment announcements made during the 2026 Choose France summit. Europe's AI Ambitions Face A Test The AI investment push comes at a time when there is growing concerns that Europe risks falling behind the U.S. and China in AI data center development, with industry leaders warning that the region must significantly increase investment in computing infrastructure to remain competitive. Europe's AI ambitions have been complicated by high energy costs, with industry leaders warning that expensive electricity could undermine the region's competitiveness against the U.S. and China. France's nuclear-powered electricity grid has emerged as a potential advantage as countries compete to attract AI infrastructure investments. The Global AI Infrastructure Race The announcements follows a wave of major AI infrastructure spending globally, with technology giants including Microsoft, Amazon, Google's parent company Alphabet and Meta expected to spend hundreds of billions of dollars on data centers and AI-related capital expenditures in the coming years. Countries are increasingly competing to attract AI infrastructure investments, viewing data centers and cloud computing capacity as strategic assets that can drive economic growth, technological innovation and job creation. Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors. Photo Courtesy: Victor Velter on Shutterstock.com Market News and Data brought to you by Benzinga APIs To add Benzinga News as your preferred source on Google, click here.

SoftBank plans up to €75 billion investment in French AI centers

SoftBank Group plans to invest as much as €75 billion ($87 billion) to build 5 gigawatts of artificial intelligence data center capacity in France, saying the country is poised to become a top European hub for AI infrastructure. The first phase comprises an initial €45 billion investment to deliver 3.1 gigawatts of AI data center capacity in the Hauts-de-France region by 2031, SoftBank said Saturday in a statement. The commitment, which SoftBank called its biggest AI infrastructure investment in Europe, reflects personal diplomacy between Emmanuel Macron and SoftBank founder Masayoshi Son, who met during the French president's visit to Japan this year.

SoftBank to spend $87.5 billion on AI centres in France: Son

Japanese tech investor SoftBank will spend 75 billion euros ($87.5 billion) on artificial intelligence infrastructure in France, its founder Masayoshi Son told a French newspaper in an interview released Saturday. "75 billion euros in total," Son told La Tribune Dimanche weekly ahead of a French investment conference hosted by President Emmanuel Macron. Japanese tech investor SoftBank will spend 75 billion euros ($87.5 billion) on artificial intelligence infrastructure in France, its founder Masayoshi Son told a French newspaper in an interview released Saturday. "This will be the largest investment in Europe in infrastructure related to artificial intelligence: 75 billion euros in total," Son told La Tribune Dimanche weekly ahead of a French investment conference hosted by President Emmanuel Macron. He said it included 45 billion euros to be spent by 2031 on data centres in the Hauts-de-France region of northern France. French electrics giant Schneider will be a partner in the huge project, its chief executive Olivier Blum told AFP. "This is a significant partnership, a major project, the largest ever undertaken in France" in the sector, said Blum. "Up to now, there is roughly 1.5 gigawatts of installed data centre capacity in France at the end of 2025, and what's being announced now is that there will be an initial phase of 3.0 gigawatts followed by a second phase that could reach up to 5.0," he added. The announcement is a major boost to Macron's efforts to attract hi-tech industries to France, in competition with other European nations. Energy exporter Macron is to host an international investment conference at Versailles palace from Monday. Son, 68, said his decision was made after meeting Macron during a visit to Tokyo in April and that France's status as an energy exporter had played a key role. Data centres are huge consumers of energy. "The fact that the country is an energy producer and exporter is absolutely crucial for infrastructure investments in artificial intelligence, especially for data centres," said Son, whose company has an 11-percent stake in the OpenAI giant that runs the ChatGPT chatbot. The Japanese tycoon said he had also been impressed by Macron's "strong personal commitment to ensuring France's economic success, even though our investments have so far been concentrated primarily in the United States, and Japan and Asia". Blum said that Schneider would take part in the design and supply of all the equipment with a factory to be built at the channel port of Dunkirk. The first three data centres would be at Dunkirk and near the northern cities of Cambrai and Amiens, he added. France says it has 35 venues ready to provide enough energy and other infrastructure for data centres. Macron has repeatedly said that Europe must not let the United States and China take an insurmountable lead in AI. Son said that "catching up with the United States, currently the global centre of gravity for innovation, is a challenge for most other countries". Europe must, he added in the interview with Tribune, "find the right path" to reach a "balance" between innovation and regulation.

SoftBank to invest up to €75 bln in French AI data centers By Investing.com

Investing.com-- SoftBank Group (TYO:9984) plans to invest up to 75 billion euros ($87.50 billion) to build and operate 5 gigawatts of artificial intelligence data center capacity in France, marking one of the largest AI infrastructure commitments in Europe. The announcement, made as part of President Emmanuel Macron's Choose France investment initiative, includes an initial investment of 45 billion euros to develop 3.1 GW of AI data center capacity in the Hauts-de-France region by 2031. Get real-time updates on market-moving news with InvestingPro SoftBank said the first phase would include facilities in Dunkirk, Bosquel and Bouchain, with additional sites planned across France as demand for AI computing power accelerates. The company said the investment would support AI firms, cloud providers, enterprises and research organizations seeking high-performance computing capacity. SoftBank also announced a partnership with Schneider Electric to establish an industrial production cluster at the Port of Dunkirk to manufacture data center components and power modules, aiming to strengthen Europe's AI infrastructure supply chain. The company said the project is expected to create thousands of skilled jobs and support research and development partnerships with French universities and engineering schools.

SoftBank to build up AI data centres in France with major investment

PARIS, May 30 (Reuters) - Japan's SoftBank Group will invest EUR45 billion over the next five years in a push to build up artificial intelligence infrastructure in France, founder Masayoshi Son told the paper La Tribune Dimanche in an interview published on Saturday. Son said the investment, described as the biggest of its kind so far in Europe, would be made in the northern Hauts-de-France region. The overall sum SoftBank intends to invest in France will reach EUR75 billion, Son said. The investment plans are due to be formally announced on Monday at the annual Choose France business conference. According to La Tribune Dimanche, two sites for data centres at Le Bosquel and Dunkirk are expected to come into operation in 2028 and 2031 respectively, providing together more than 5 gigawatts of computing capacity. "The fact that the country is a producer and exporter of energy is absolutely decisive for investments in AI infrastructure," Son said when asked why he picked France. The French commitment adds to a global AI infrastructure spending spree by SoftBank. Its investments in AI also include over $30 billion invested in OpenAI so far, for about an 11% stake. France has been using the Choose France summit to court foreign investors since it was launched by President Emmanuel Macron in 2018. (reporting by Tassilo HummelEditing by Tomasz Janowski)