SoftBank to build up AI data centres in France with major investment
SoftBank to build up AI data centres in France with major investment
Publish Date: 2026-05-30 15:03:00
Source Domain: www.reuters.com
- SoftBank Group plans to invest €45 billion over five years in building artificial intelligence infrastructure in France’s Hauts-de-France region.
- This initiative, set to be formally announced at the Choose France business conference, aims to deliver 3.1 GW of capacity.
- French engineering company Schneider Electric will be a key partner, providing essential modules for the project.
- SoftBank’s overall planned investment in AI infrastructure in France is €75 billion with three operating sites anticipated by 2031 and more planned across the country.
- EDF, the state-owned nuclear energy giant, will lend one of its former power plants to SoftBank to convert it into a data center.
- This investment by SoftBank aligns with its broader global AI infrastructure spending, including a $30 billion investment in the AI company, OpenAI.
- France leverages the Choose France summit to attract foreign investments, instituted by President Emmanuel Macron in 2018.
