SoftBank founder and CEO Masayoshi Son has committed €75 billion (about $81 billion) to build artificial intelligence-related infrastructure in France, a move he described as the largest investment of its kind in Europe.
Son disclosed the plan to La Tribune Dimanche ahead of the June 1 “Choose France” summit at the Château de Versailles, the French government’s annual event designed to lure foreign investment. According to Le Figaro, Son called it “the most important investment in Europe in infrastructure linked to artificial intelligence.”
Of the €75 billion (about $81 billion), €45 billion (about $49 billion) is slated to be deployed by 2031 in the Hauts-de-France region, where SoftBank plans to build data centers.
€45 billion (about $49 billion) targeted for northern France by 2031
SoftBank’s focus on Hauts-de-France is deliberate. The region is seen as attractive for large-scale digital infrastructure because of its logistics and energy advantages.
SoftBank, founded in 1981, is among the world’s most active tech investors. Son, 68, holds 11% of OpenAI, according to Challenges, citing La Tribune Dimanche.
Son said he validated the decision after meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron. He also framed the investment as part of a broader race for technological leadership: “Catching up with the United States, today the global center of gravity for innovation, is a challenge for most other countries,” he said, adding that Europe must “find the right path” to balance innovation and regulation.
Schneider Electric joins as a partner
French electrical equipment giant Schneider Electric is partnering on the project. CEO Olivier Blum confirmed the scale of the plan to AFP: “It’s an important partnership, a big project, the biggest there has been in France” in this sector.
For Schneider, which specializes in electrical infrastructure for data centers, the tie-up with SoftBank would serve as a reference contract at the European level.
Choose France summit set against a record-chasing backdrop
The ninth Choose France summit—launched by Macron in 2018—opened in a climate of deliberate one-upmanship. Macron said Friday that foreign investment since the first edition totals “€87 billion” (about $94 billion) and predicted “tremendous” announcements for the 2026 edition.
Last year’s summit set a record with €20 billion (about $22 billion) in announced projects.
SoftBank’s pledge dwarfs the rest of the expected announcements. At €75 billion (about $81 billion), it’s nearly four times last year’s record total. For France, which claims the title of “the European country that attracts the most foreign investment,” the deal strengthens its hand in competition with Germany, the Netherlands, and Ireland for major digital and data-center projects.
