French President Emmanuel Macron opened the annual "Choose France" investment summit on Monday at the Palace of Versailles, aiming to secure billions in foreign capital. According to France 24, the event brings together 200 global executives to focus on artificial intelligence and data infrastructure, with potential announcements also expected regarding rare earth mineral investments in France.
Japanese investment giant SoftBank leads the announcements, with reports indicating the firm plans to spend €75 billion on AI infrastructure. Founder Masayoshi Son is scheduled to meet with President Macron at the Élysée Palace to discuss the commitment.
Other major projects include a $10 billion data center investment from Canadian asset manager Brookfield in northern France, as reported by the business daily Les Echos. Additionally, investment firm Ardian and the Nordic data platform Verne are set to contribute $5 billion toward a data facility in the Paris region.
Hardware manufacturing is also seeing movement. Taiwanese group Foxconn intends to invest €120 million in the city of Angers to establish a production line for AI-focused motherboards, partnering with French supercomputer specialist Bull.
While the government touts the event as a success, the broader economic picture remains complex. Since the inaugural "Choose France" event in 2018, the Élysée reports that 230 projects have been announced, totaling €87 billion and creating thousands of jobs.
However, economist Sylvain Bersinger cautioned that the high-profile announcements at Versailles should be viewed with skepticism. "The announcements... must not obscure the fact that overall corporate investment in France is depressed, that reindustrialisation remains more of a pious wish than a reality, and that France does not necessarily appear more attractive for foreign investors than its neighbours," Bersinger told the outlet.
Data from the consultancy EY shows that while France has led Europe in attracting foreign investment for seven consecutive years, the total number of projects dipped by 17 percent last year. While France remains a top destination for AI-linked projects, the country’s traditional industrial bases—including metallurgy, chemicals, and automotive manufacturing—have faced significant setbacks.
Macron continues to push for France to become a global leader in the sector, having previously announced €1.55 billion in public funding to bolster quantum technology and semiconductor development. The summit is also expected to address potential investments in rare earth minerals.
