SoftBank Group has unveiled plans to invest up to €75 billion (approximately $87 billion) to expand data center capacity in France. The Japanese conglomerate, which counts both OpenAI as an investor and a customer, aims to develop and operate up to 5 gigawatts of additional data center capacity across the country. This commitment represents SoftBank's largest AI infrastructure investment in Europe to date. The initial phase of the project will focus on constructing data centers in three northern French locations: Dunkirk (specifically in Loon-Plage), Bosquel, and Bouchain. By 2031, these facilities are expected to deliver 3.1 gigawatts of capacity to the Hauts-de-France region alone. French Economic Minister Roland Lescure hailed the announcement as evidence of President Emmanuel Macron's strategy to establish France as a premier destination throughout the artificial intelligence value chain. The French investment comes amid growing scrutiny of data center development in the United States. American opposition to such projects has intensified due to environmental concerns and questions about the impact on electrical grids and utility pricing. Despite these headwinds, SoftBank has separately announced plans to construct a data center in Ohio, which will be powered by a new 9.2 gigawatt natural gas plant.