SoftBank Group, led by CEO Masayoshi Son, is nearing a significant investment in artificial intelligence leader OpenAI. The Japanese conglomerate plans to inject $40 billion into OpenAI, valuing the company at approximately $260 billion. This move would position SoftBank as OpenAI’s largest investor, surpassing Microsoft’s previous investments totaling over $13 billion.
The collaboration between SoftBank and OpenAI extends beyond financial backing. They are jointly working on the “Stargate” project, a $500 billion initiative aimed at developing AI-focused data centers. Partners in this venture include Oracle and MGX.
This substantial investment underscores SoftBank’s confidence in OpenAI’s potential and reflects the intensifying competition in the AI sector, especially with emerging players like China’s DeepSeek making notable advancements.
