SoftBank invests up to 75B euros in massive French data centers expansion

SoftBank plans to invest up to 75 billion euros to build new data centers in France, aiming to add 5 gigawatts of capacity, with the first 3.1 gigawatts expected by 2031 across three sites in the Hauts‑de‑France region. The initiative marks SoftBank’s largest AI infrastructure investment in Europe and aligns with France’s ambition to become a major hub in the AI value chain. The announcement comes as data center expansion faces growing scrutiny in the US over environmental and grid‑impact concerns. SoftBank is simultaneously pursuing large‑scale projects elsewhere, including a data center in Ohio powered by a 9.2 gigawatt natural gas plant.

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