In France, the concept of "digital sovereignty" has become a driving force behind the rapid growth of data centers—large facilities that store and process digital information. These centers are seen as crucial for ensuring that France maintains control over its digital infrastructure, data, and resources. However, the extent to which this strategy truly enhances national sovereignty is hotly debated. Most of these data centers are operated by foreign companies, and their construction often relies on global supply chains. This situation has raised questions about whether France is genuinely reducing its dependence on other nations or simply reshaping the way foreign influence is managed. The push for digital sovereignty gained momentum after the International Summit on Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Paris in February 2025. For instance, a proposed Microsoft data center in Petit-Landau (Haut-Rhin) recently received a positive evaluation from an investigating commissioner, who argued that it aligns with the goal of national digital sovereignty. However, critics like Alexandra Lutz from the technocritical group Data for Good emphasize that real sovereignty would mean states have full control over their infrastructure, data, and resources. In reality, American companies dominate the European data center market. Only 1.4 gigawatts (GW) of the 15 GW allocated to data centers in Europe are operated by European firms. Major projects, such as Google’s planned facility near Châteauroux and Amazon Web Services’ (AWS) center in Wissous, continue to highlight the dominance of U.S. companies in the sector. Supporters of hosting data in France argue that it enhances data protection by keeping it under European legal frameworks. However, concerns arise from the European Commission’s proposed legislative "omnibus" package, which aims to simplify digital regulations and allow more flexible use of personal data. Critics like Alexandra Lutz question whether moving data centers to Europe could weaken these protections. Additionally, the United States’ extraterritorial legal reach—such as the Cloud Act of 2018—allows American authorities to demand access to data even if it is stored in France. This complicates the idea of true digital sovereignty, as data stored in foreign-owned centers may still be vulnerable to foreign legal pressures. France’s efforts to promote digital sovereignty are also marked by complex international partnerships. The Fouju AI Campus in Seine-et-Marne, a flagship project, is funded by the French company Mistral AI and the Public Investment Bank (BPI). However, the involvement of Emirati fund MGX and American tech giant Nvidia—owning 70% of the capital—has sparked criticism. Tom from the StopMicro collective argues that digital infrastructure cannot exist in isolation from globalized systems, and foreign capital is essential for funding large-scale projects. Even Mistral AI, a leading French AI company, relies on foreign shareholders like Samsung and U.S. investment groups. The production of semiconductors, which are essential for data centers, also depends on a global supply chain. Materials like copper, cobalt, and silicon are sourced from various continents, and advanced chip manufacturing is concentrated in countries like Taiwan and South Korea. A study by the European Association of Semiconductors (Esia) notes that a single chip may cross 80 borders during its production. This global interdependence challenges the notion of true sovereignty. Critics like Cyrielle Châtelain, president of the Ecologist and Social group in the National Assembly, argue that the "sovereignty" narrative is often used as a cover for deeper dependencies. She advocates for moving data to smaller, more sustainable centers within Europe and limiting the influence of foreign-owned data centers. Some French companies, like OVHcloud and Scaleway, support this approach, while the report also calls for legal protections against American extraterritorial laws affecting European data.