A Historic Infrastructure Deal in Europe
In one of the largest technology infrastructure announcements of the decade, SoftBank Group has officially committed to building a massive 5 Gigawatt (GW) Artificial Intelligence data center network. The multi-phase project represents an astronomical investment of up to €75 billion, aimed at turning the region into the primary hub for next-generation computing, AI model training, and cloud workloads across the continent.
The first phase of this mega-project will kick off with an immediate €45 billion allocation to establish a 3.1 GW capacity AI campus in the Hauts-de-France region. SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son stated that as artificial intelligence enters a new era, the regions that control the core physical infrastructure will ultimately shape the future of global technology, industry, and human progress.
Building the "AI Factories" of the Future
To pull off an infrastructure project of this scale, SoftBank has partnered with global energy technology leader Schneider Electric and infrastructure firm Sesterce. Together, they aim to build highly integrated "AI Factories"—data center campuses specifically designed to handle the intense power, cooling, and networking demands required by modern GPU clusters and massive AI workloads.
The core focus of these campuses will be sustainability and speed. Schneider Electric will deploy advanced prefabricated power modules to ensure maximum energy efficiency, while the campus architectures will utilize new-age cooling systems to minimize environmental impact and water usage. This massive cluster will serve tech companies, research institutions, and hyperscale cloud providers looking for ultra-low latency AI processing power.
The Race for Technological Sovereignty
This monumental move comes at a highly strategic time, matching Europe’s intense push to establish domestic technological sovereignty. For years, international markets have been heavily reliant on centralized overseas cloud networks and foreign microchip supply chains. By building high-capacity localized AI hubs, the region aims to secure its independent digital future and reduce vulnerabilities to external trade tensions or foreign corporate monopolies.
Beyond just setting up server racks, the project includes a dedicated multi-million-euro endowment fund designed to promote AI adoption within local schools, universities, and small businesses. By combining massive compute capacity with regional job creation and skills development, this initiative is expected to fundamentally reshape the global tech landscape, setting a new benchmark for how digital infrastructure is scaled.
