Japan’s SoftBank Group plans to invest €45 billion (US$52.4 billion) over the next five years in artificial intelligence infrastructure in France, as part of a broader €75 billion programme aimed at expanding Europe’s AI compute capacity.
The company said on Sunday that the initiative will focus on building out large-scale data centre infrastructure capable of supporting advanced AI workloads, with a planned total capacity of 5 gigawatts.
SoftBank said the initial phase of the project will involve constructing 3.1GW of AI data centres in northern France’s Hauts-de-France region by 2031, including sites in Dunkirk, Bosquel and Bouchain.
“The commitment marks SoftBank Group’s largest AI infrastructure investments in Europe,” SoftBank said. “It is designed to support the rapid growth of artificial intelligence by expanding access to high-performance compute capacity in France.”
The investment is expected to be formally announced on Monday, signalling one of the largest single private commitments to European AI infrastructure to date.
Masayoshi Son, Chairman and CEO of SoftBank Group Corp., said:
“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,” said Masayoshi Son. “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 a leading AI infrastructure hub in Europe.”
SoftBank also said it will partner with French engineering firm Schneider Electric to develop a large-scale industrial production cluster in Dunkirk as part of the rollout.
The investment underscores SoftBank’s deepening exposure to the global AI boom. The company’s shares have surged more than 70% so far in 2026, driven by investor optimism around its AI-related assets.
Its portfolio is heavily tied to artificial intelligence through its stake in Arm Holdings, whose chip designs are widely used in AI servers and data centres powered by Nvidia systems, as well as its investments in OpenAI.
SoftBank has invested more than $30 billion into OpenAI, with reported gains from that stake reaching $45 billion in the year ended March.
The announcement comes as Europe attempts to strengthen its position in the global AI race, where the United States and China currently dominate both infrastructure and model development.
However, high energy costs remain a key constraint for European expansion, particularly for power-intensive data centre projects. Rising electricity prices, exacerbated by geopolitical tensions including the U.S.-Iran conflict, have added further pressure to investment decisions.
