Paris, France – In a strategic move aimed at reshaping the global technology landscape, France is preparing to enter the artificial intelligence race in a major way. This comes with the announcement of a project to build the largest data center complex in Europe. The move is backed by substantial financial support from the Japanese conglomerate SoftBank, which has pledged to invest up to €75 billion to create a vast network of smart computing centers. In a concerted European effort, they are striving to catch up with the United States and China in strengthening their technological infrastructure.
Strategic alliance: Macron and Son
This is SoftBank’s largest deal outside the United States under Masayoshi Son’s leadership.
It stems from a high-level meeting held in Tokyo in early April between French President Emmanuel Macron and Son. France successfully presented attractive competitive advantages, most notably its abundant and stable nuclear energy and streamlined regulatory processes.
This investment reinforces France’s position as a leading regional hub ahead of the highly anticipated “Select France” event, which brings together top executives and economic policymakers. Masayoshi Son commented on the commitment, saying, “SoftBank is proud of this landmark investment. France is uniquely positioned, with its industrial capabilities, talent pool, and national ambition, to be the backbone of Europe’s AI infrastructure.”
Record numbers and project details
According to the Financial Times, the investment will begin with €45 billion to build 3.1 gigawatts of computing capacity in the northern Hauts-de-France region by 2031. There are also ambitious plans to add another 2 gigawatts later. The Dunkirk project stands out as a key component of the complex. SoftBank will enter into a strategic partnership with Schneider Electric to create an integrated center combining artificial intelligence and robotics manufacturing. The project will also benefit from its strategic geographic location to serve major markets in London, Brussels, and Amsterdam.
Upon completion, the complex will have a total capacity of 5 gigawatts. This is equivalent to the output of five nuclear power plants, making it the largest driver of computing demand in Europe.
Global challenges and competition
This move comes at a time when Europe is lagging behind in the global technology race. Massive investments in data centers are typically concentrated in regions with low energy costs and flexible regulations. By betting on low-carbon nuclear power, France is attempting to circumvent the “energy cost” obstacle that plagues tech giants. However, challenges remain; such mega-projects rely on complex debt-based financing partnerships. Furthermore, some similar international projects have encountered setbacks. For example, in the UK, a pioneering OpenAI project was suspended indefinitely.
SoftBank’s ambitions: a global network
The French project is inextricably linked to SoftBank’s global vision of establishing itself as a driving force in the artificial intelligence revolution. The group, which invests billions of dollars in chip design companies OpenAI and Arm, is currently building a global network that includes a massive 10-gigawatt project in Ohio. It is also working on an international alliance to create similar infrastructure in Abu Dhabi in collaboration with Nvidia, Oracle, and G42. While President Macron faces sensitive political challenges ahead of the upcoming presidential elections, this massive industrial project represents a significant boost to his economic record. He hopes this “smart city” will position France at the forefront of the technological powers that will lead the next decade of digital innovation.
