SoftBank announced a pledge of up to €75bn to create a continent‑wide network of AI computing clusters in France, the biggest data‑centre project the group has undertaken outside the United States. The move follows a dinner between Masayoshi Son and President Emmanuel Macron in Tokyo, where France’s nuclear power capacity and fast‑track approvals were highlighted.

The initial tranche earmarks €45bn for a 3.1‑gigawatt complex in Hauts‑de‑France, slated for completion by 2031, with an additional 2 GW planned thereafter. A flagship site in Dunkirk will pair SoftBank with Schneider Electric to host AI infrastructure and robotics manufacturing, positioning the hub to serve markets in London, Brussels and Amsterdam. The full 5 GW build‑out would match the output of five nuclear stations.

The investment strengthens Macron’s Choose France campaign and narrows Europe’s gap with the US, China and the Middle East on AI‑grade data‑centre capacity. Financing will likely rely on debt‑driven project loans, complementing SoftBank’s broader AI push that includes a 10 GW Ohio data centre and a 5 GW consortium in Abu Dhabi. The French complex will become the continent’s largest AI infrastructure platform.