ChipsMay 30, 2026via TechCrunch AI
SoftBank says it will invest up to €75 billion to build French data centers
Why it matters
SoftBank's massive French data center investment signals a strategic shift in AI infrastructure geography, moving beyond US-centric compute buildout and potentially reshaping European AI competitiveness and energy dynamics.
Key signals
- €75 billion investment commitment
- 5 gigawatts of additional data center capacity target
- France as primary location
- SoftBank as lead infrastructure investor
- May 2026 announcement
The hook
€75 billion. SoftBank is betting France becomes Europe's AI compute hub with 5GW of new data center capacity.
The goal, the firm said, is to develop and operate up to 5 gigawatts of additional data center capacity.