SoftBank founder Masayoshi Son is making his boldest move yet, aiming to place his company at the heart of an artificial intelligence revolution.
Son predicts that artificial superintelligence (ASI) — AI 10,000 times smarter than humans — will arrive within a decade. Known for high-risk plays, his famous $20 million stake in Alibaba in 2000 turned into billions for SoftBank.
Now, Son is replicating that strategy through major AI investments. SoftBank owns Arm, the $145 billion chip designer whose technology underpins most smartphones and is increasingly critical to AI infrastructure, including Nvidia’s data center systems. In March, SoftBank announced a $6.5 billion deal to buy Ampere Computing, another chip designer.
The group also plans to invest about 4.8 trillion yen ($32.7 billion) into OpenAI, alongside stakes in other AI firms spanning semiconductors, software, robotics, and cloud services.
Son says this mission is personal: “I think I was born to realize ASI.” Industry analysts note his strategy aims to integrate the entire AI stack, building a cohesive ecosystem with long-term value.