TLDR: SoftBank founder Masayoshi Son is making aggressive, multi-billion dollar investments in artificial intelligence, including the acquisition of chipmaker Ampere Computing for $6.5 billion and significant stakes in OpenAI, totaling up to $32 billion. Son believes Artificial Superintelligence (ASI), vastly exceeding human intellect, will emerge within a decade, and he aims to position SoftBank at the forefront of this technological revolution, building a comprehensive AI ecosystem from chips to applications.
SoftBank Group, under the visionary leadership of its founder Masayoshi Son, is embarking on an ambitious, multi-billion dollar strategy to dominate the burgeoning field of artificial intelligence. Son, known for his audacious bets, is convinced that Artificial Superintelligence (ASI)—a form of AI 10,000 times smarter than humans—will be a reality within the next decade, and he is positioning SoftBank to be at the epicenter of this transformative era.
A cornerstone of this strategy is the planned acquisition of US chipmaker Ampere Computing for US$6.5 billion, an announcement made in March 2025 with the deal expected to close in the latter half of the year. This move underscores SoftBank’s commitment to controlling foundational hardware crucial for AI development. Complementing this, SoftBank has made substantial investments in OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT. Son has pledged to underwrite up to US$40 billion in fresh funding for OpenAI, with his total exposure to the company already reaching US$32 billion since late 2024. Expressing a hint of regret, Son admitted he “didn’t invest earlier” in the AI giant, and he anticipates OpenAI will eventually go public, offering another potential windfall for SoftBank.
SoftBank’s AI investment approach is remarkably comprehensive, spanning the entire AI stack. According to Neil Shah, co-founder at Counterpoint Research, “SoftBank’s AI strategy is comprehensive, spanning the entire AI stack from foundational semiconductors, software, infrastructure, and robotics to… enterprise, education, health, and autonomous systems.” Shah further elaborated on Son’s vision, stating, “Mr. Son’s vision is to cohesively connect and deeply integrate these components, thereby establishing a powerful AI ecosystem designed to maximize long-term value for our shareholders.” This holistic approach aims to create a seamlessly integrated AI ecosystem.
The Japanese conglomerate’s renewed focus on AI comes after a period of recalibration for its Vision Funds, which faced significant losses from previous investments in ride-hailing companies and WeWork. However, the successful September 2023 IPO of British chip designer Arm, which SoftBank acquired in 2016 for $32 billion and is now valued at over $145 billion, has significantly bolstered SoftBank’s asset base and provided fresh capital for its aggressive AI push. Arm’s chip blueprints are now integral to AI data centers, including those built by Nvidia. SoftBank’s recent financial performance also reflects this shift, with net profits of ¥421.82 billion in Q2 2025, largely driven by gains from AI-adjacent investments.
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Beyond Ampere and OpenAI, SoftBank’s strategic maneuvers include a planned investment of $10-$20 million in US-based search startup Perplexity AI and involvement in Stargate, a massive $500 billion private AI investment initiative. While SoftBank previously ventured into robotics with the Pepper robot, which was discontinued in 2020 due to disappointing results, Son’s current AI ambition is undeterred. His career is marked by bold, often prescient, investments, such as his early $20 million stake in Alibaba, which yielded phenomenal returns. With AI now firmly at the core of SoftBank’s roadmap, Masayoshi Son is once again making a colossal bet on the future of technology.
