Japanese technology investment group SoftBank announced plans to develop and operate 5 GW of AI data centre capacity in France, in an investment worth €75 billion.
The project forms part of a broader wave of technology-related investments coming to France. President Emmanuel Macron said on Monday that the country was expecting €93 billion in foreign investment commitments at this year's 'Choose France' summit, including projects in artificial intelligence, data centres, semiconductors, critical minerals, transport, steel and healthcare.
It would include an initial €45 billion from SoftBank by 2031 for the first phase of its project in northern France. This will deliver 3.1 GW of capacity in the Hauts-de-France region, with sites planned in Dunkirk (Loon-Plage), Bosquel and Bouchain.
Masayoshi Son, Chairman and CEO of SoftBank Group, 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."
He added that France is "uniquely positioned to become a leading AI infrastructure hub in Europe" thanks to its industrial capabilities, talent base and national ambition.
The facilities are intended to support growing demand for artificial intelligence by expanding access to high-performance computing capacity in France.
According to SoftBank, the data centres will serve AI companies, cloud providers, businesses, public institutions and research organisations. The company said the project builds on France's existing advantages, including its electricity grid, available industrial land, engineering expertise and support for AI development.
Roland Lescure, France's Minister for Industry and Energy, said SoftBank's decision to invest in France marked the group's first major AI infrastructure project in Europe and reflected the country's ambition to become a leading destination across the AI value chain.
"It reflects our country's substantial assets: fast access to the most reliable electrical grid in Europe, a strong digital and industrial ecosystem with a skilled workforce, and a government that works in unison with local authorities and stakeholders to fast-track procedures for strategic projects," he said.
Lescure added that the investment "creates jobs, strengthens our digital infrastructure and contributes to our goal of digital sovereignty."
According to SoftBank, the investment is expected to create thousands of high-skilled jobs across data centre development, engineering, energy systems, robotics, operations, maintenance and advanced manufacturing.
The company said it also plans to support research and development through partnerships with local universities, engineering schools and training institutions focused on skills needed for future AI infrastructure.
For the project, SoftBank is partnering with French energy company EDF on the Bouchain data centre project and with Schneider Electric to develop an industrial hub at the Port of Dunkirk. The site will include a SoftBank facility that produces data centre enclosures and a Schneider Electric plant that assembles power modules used in data centres.
The companies said the project would help strengthen local supply chains for AI infrastructure and support Dunkirk's ambitions to become a centre for advanced manufacturing and robotics.
