SoftBank to Invest Up to €75 Billion in French Data Centers for AI Growth

SoftBank Group announced on May 30, 2026, that it will invest up to €75 billion ($87 billion) to build and operate data centers in France, marking its largest artificial intelligence infrastructure push in Europe. The Japanese conglomerate aims to develop 5 gigawatts of additional capacity. The initial phase will deliver 3.1 gigawatts to the Hauts-de-France region by 2031, with facilities planned in Dunkirk, Bosquel, and Bouchain. French Economic Minister Roland Lescure said the investment advances President Emmanuel Macron’s ambition to position France as a leading destination across the AI value chain. SoftBank, which is both an investor in and customer of OpenAI, previously outlined a separate data center project in Ohio backed by a new 9.2-gigawatt natural gas plant. The French expansion comes as opposition to data center construction grows in the U.S. over environmental and grid concerns.