SoftBank, the Japanese technology investment firm, has increased its stake in OpenAI to roughly 11% after completing the second stage of its $41 billion investment in the company behind ChatGPT. The deal, announced in April with an originally planned value of up to $40 billion, now totals $41 billion—$30 billion from SoftBank’s Vision Fund and an additional $11 billion from third‑party co‑investors. This sizable commitment underscores SoftBank’s strategic pivot toward artificial intelligence (AI), a sector its founder Masayoshi Son believes holds immense growth potential.
Son’s enthusiasm reflects a broader focus on artificial general intelligence (AGI), the next stage of AI in which computers could outperform humans across a range of tasks. He expressed alignment with OpenAI’s vision of ensuring AGI benefits humanity as a whole. OpenAI chief Sam Altman praised SoftBank’s early recognition of AI’s potential, noting that the firm’s leadership and scale will accelerate the development and global dissemination of advanced intelligence.
Beyond OpenAI, SoftBank is participating in the $500 billion Stargate project with Oracle, which aims to build AI infrastructure in the United States. The initiative, announced by President Donald Trump in January 2025, signals a substantial commitment to AI development and infrastructure. Additionally, SoftBank has agreed to acquire U.S. data‑centre investor DigitalBridge in a deal valued at approximately $4 billion, further expanding its interests in digital infrastructure.
Together, the OpenAI investment and the DigitalBridge acquisition illustrate SoftBank’s strategic focus on AI and digital technologies. As AI becomes increasingly integrated across sectors, SoftBank’s moves position it as a key player in the global AI landscape, reinforcing its commitment to the development and ethical application of AI for the broader benefit of humanity.
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