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SoftBank to Spend €75bn on Europe’s Biggest AI Facility in France

Australian Financial Review

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Details

Date Published
31 May 2026
Priority Score
3
Australian
Yes
Created
31 May 2026, 06:00 am

Description

SoftBank is putting all of its efforts into establishing itself at the heart of the artificial intelligence revolution.

Summary

SoftBank's commitment of €75 billion to develop a massive network of AI computing clusters in France represents a significant expansion of frontier AI infrastructure within the European Union. This investment highlights the accelerating global race for compute resources, which are essential for training the next generation of high-capability models. While the scale of the project underscores the potential for rapid advancements in AI capabilities, it also raises questions regarding the governance of large-scale infrastructure and its alignment with emerging global safety standards. For Australian and international policymakers, this move emphasizes the increasing concentration of physical AI infrastructure and its geopolitical implications for AI risk management.

Body

WorldEuropeData centresPrint articleTim Bradshaw, Sarah White and David KeohaneMay 31, 2026 – 2.29pmSoftBank has pledged to invest up to €75 billion ($121.6 billion) in a vast network of AI computing clusters in France, backing what would be Europe’s biggest data centre project as the region races to catch up with the US and China in AI infrastructure.The commitment marks the largest AI investment by Masayoshi Son’s group outside the US and delivers a boost to Emmanuel Macron ahead of the French president’s Choose France event this week, an annual gathering of dealmakers and executives.Loading...Financial TimesSaveLog in or Subscribe to save articleShareCopy linkCopiedEmailLinkedInTwitterFacebookCopy linkCopiedShare via...Gift this articleSubscribe to gift this articleGift 5 articles to anyone you choose each month when you subscribe.Subscribe nowAlready a subscriber? LoginFollow the topics, people and companies that matter to you.Find out moreRead MoreData centresAIFranceEmmanuel MacronOpenAIFetching latest articles