Home / Business and Economy / SoftBank Bets Big on France: €75B for AI Data Centers
SoftBank Bets Big on France: €75B for AI Data Centers
31 May
Summary
- SoftBank plans to invest up to €75 billion in French data centers.
- The investment aims to develop 5 gigawatts of additional AI capacity.
- Hauts-de-France region to receive 3.1 gigawatts by 2031.
SoftBank Group has announced a significant commitment to enhance artificial intelligence infrastructure in France, planning to invest up to €75 billion (around $87 billion).
The company intends to develop and operate an additional 5 gigawatts of data center capacity across the nation. This initiative represents SoftBank's most substantial AI infrastructure investment in Europe to date.
The initial phase of this plan will concentrate on establishing data centers in Dunkirk (Loon-Plage), Bosquel, and Bouchain. These facilities are slated to deliver 3.1 gigawatts of capacity to the Hauts-de-France region by the year 2031.
French economic minister Roland Lescure hailed the announcement as a key achievement for President Emmanuel Macron's strategy to position France as a leader in the AI value chain. This development occurs amidst growing environmental concerns regarding data center construction in the United States.
