Overview
- The commitment was announced on Saturday, May 30, 2026, when SoftBank founder Masayoshi Son said the group would invest up to €75 billion in France with a €45 billion first phase over five years.
- The opening phase will target roughly 3.1 gigawatts of AI compute capacity in the Hauts-de-France region by 2031, with a possible later expansion to about 5.0 gigawatts across additional sites.
- SoftBank has identified Le Bosquel, Dunkirk (Loon-Plage) and Bouchain as key sites, with first operations targeted from 2028 and a Schneider Electric factory and equipment-supply role planned at Dunkirk.
- Officials and analysts warn the buildout faces big execution challenges, including major electricity demand, grid-connection and permitting hurdles that could delay construction and drive local impacts on power and water use.
- The move extends SoftBank’s wider AI strategy — the group holds large stakes in AI firms such as OpenAI — and signals a push to reduce Europe’s reliance on non‑European compute and component supply chains while creating local industrial jobs.