SoftBank Group Announces Plan to Build 14 Trillion Won AI Data Center in France

SoftBank Group's Masayoshi Son announced plans to build an AI data center in France worth up to 14 trillion won after meeting with President Macron.

Tue Jun 02 2026

SoftBank to Establish 5GW AI Data Center in France

Masayoshi Son, Chairman and CEO of SoftBank Group, visited France on the 1st (local time) and held a joint press conference with President Emmanuel Macron. During the conference, Son announced plans to develop and operate an AI data center in France. The data center is projected to have a capacity of 5 gigawatts (GW), equivalent to five nuclear power plants, with a total investment of up to approximately 14 trillion won (approx. 10 billion Euros).

Europe's AI Hub and Utilization Plans

President Macron emphasized that this investment will make France Europe's largest data center host and a cutting-edge hub for the AI industry and AI robot production. He stated that the data center is expected to be fully operational by the end of 2030. Son noted that as the United States and China rapidly advance in AI, Europe, Japan, and Asia must also move quickly to avoid being left behind, calling it a national security issue.

Following the joint press conference, Son told reporters that the French data center would enable the export of surplus AI services during Europe's night hours to the United States, leveraging time differences. He indicated that the primary users would be large US AI companies but also expressed a desire to accommodate the needs of educational and research institutions and startups in Europe, including France.

*Source: YouTube: ANNnewsCH (2026-06-02)*

Tags: #AI #Technology #Data Center #SoftBank #France