SoftBank Commits €75 Billion to Build 5GW of AI Data Centers in France — Largest European AI Infrastructure Investment Ever

TechCrunch·high signal

SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son announced a €75 billion ($87B) investment to build up to 5 gigawatts of AI data center capacity in France at the Choose France summit alongside President Macron. Phase 1 delivers 3.1GW across Hauts-de-France by 2031 with EDF and Schneider Electric as partners. SoftBank cited France's low-carbon grid and engineering talent; this is the single largest AI infrastructure commitment in European history.