France touts $100B-plus investment haul at Choose France, led by SoftBank’s massive AI data-center bet

France’s annual “Choose France” investment summit delivered a headline-grabbing record on June 1, 2026: 71 international investment projects totaling €93 billion (about $100.4 billion), according to the Élysée Palace.

The figure more than doubles last year’s €40 billion (about $43.2 billion)—a total that itself was later boosted by an additional €20 billion tied to AI. The French presidency said the 2026 announcements are expected to create more than 15,600 jobs in France, though the makeup of the total shows just how heavily the country’s pitch now leans on AI infrastructure.

One company accounts for nearly half the money: Japan’s SoftBank, led by Masayoshi Son, committed to building data centers in the Hauts-de-France region worth €45 billion (about $48.6 billion) by 2031, and up to €75 billion (about $81.0 billion) over the longer term, in partnership with French energy-management group Schneider Electric. The Élysée called it a “record in the history of a company’s investments in France.”

SoftBank, Brookfield, Amazon: three heavyweight pledges dominate the tally

After SoftBank, Canadian asset manager Brookfield said it would add €10 billion (about $10.8 billion) more for AI-related infrastructure, bringing its total commitment in France to as much as €30 billion (about $32.4 billion).

Amazon, meanwhile, said it plans to invest more than €15 billion (about $16.2 billion) in France over three years, including three new logistics sites and 1,000 permanent jobs. ^[3]

Together, those three pledges make up the bulk of the €93 billion headline number. The rest of the projects span a wider mix—semiconductors, critical minerals, health care, steel, pharmaceuticals and electrification—sectors where France wants to build clout, even if individual ticket sizes are far smaller than the digital giants’ commitments.

Source : La Tribune, La Provence

Macron sells “predictability” as a competitive edge

President Emmanuel Macron met with Son at the Élysée Palace on the morning of the summit, ahead of the plenary session at the Château de Versailles. In his speech, Macron argued that France and Europe offer “great predictability,” saying: “None of us can change the rules overnight,” a barely veiled reference to Donald Trump’s tariff reversals. ^[2]

Macron also laid out an ambition for France’s place in the AI buildout: making the country “by far the No. 1 nation hosting data centers and computing capacity in Europe” and “the forward point for the production of AI robots.” He added: “We are clearly catching up on the delay we had in computing capacity in Europe” compared with the United States and China.

Macron’s team also pointed to a longer-running talking point: since 2019, France has remained the top European destination for international investors in EY’s annual barometer, a ranking it held onto in 2025 despite slower growth and heightened geopolitical tensions.

Ce que ces 93 milliards changent pour la France

Un record à relativiser

The €93 billion (about $100.4 billion) total mixes firm commitments with multi-year promises. SoftBank alone concentrates 80% of the total, with a timeline running to 2031 and beyond.

15,600 jobs promised

That’s the figure put forward by the Élysée. The sector-by-sector breakdown remains unclear, with digital projects (data centers, AI) dominating the announcements.

Digital sovereignty at stake

Macron is aiming for European leadership in data centers and AI robotics. The SoftBank–Schneider Electric investment in Hauts-de-France is the concrete pillar of that strategy.

A push for simpler rules

Macron himself acknowledged the need to speed up regulatory decisions in France and across Europe—presented as a prerequisite for turning announcements into factories and installed servers.

Europe’s top host country

Since 2019, France has kept its spot as Europe’s leading destination for foreign investment in EY’s annual barometer, including in 2025 despite slower growth.

Big number, long runway: turning pledges into projects remains the test

Choose France has long produced a gap between splashy day-of announcements and what ultimately gets built. The summit’s totals typically blend firm commitments, intentions and multi-year projects—sometimes stretching as far as 2031.

SoftBank’s pledge is the clearest example: €45 billion (about $48.6 billion) over five years, and €75 billion (about $81.0 billion) “in the long term,” without a specific end date. ^[1]

Macron, for his part, called for France and Europe to “do better” on regulatory simplification and faster decision-making—an implicit acknowledgment that investor-friendly messaging can fall flat if permitting timelines and administrative constraints slow real-world buildouts.

With €93 billion (about $100.4 billion) announced, the ninth edition closes out the Choose France cycle launched during Macron’s first presidency. The challenge for his successor will be converting these commitments into jobs and installed industrial capacity—especially in Hauts-de-France, where the core of the SoftBank–Schneider Electric project is expected to land.