SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son said on Friday the group aims to become the world’s top platform provider for artificial super intelligence within the next decade, signaling a bold new direction for the Japanese tech giant.
Speaking at SoftBank’s annual shareholder meeting, Son described his vision of positioning SoftBank at the centre of the artificial super intelligence (ASI) industry - an era he believes will be dominated by platforms far more powerful than current AI models.
“I want SoftBank to become the organiser of the industry in the ASI era,” Son said, comparing his ambition to the platform dominance of Microsoft, Amazon, and Google.
Son defines ASI as Artificial Intelligence that surpasses human intelligence by a factor of 10,000, and he has resumed aggressive investments to make SoftBank a key player in the space. These moves include the $6.5 billion acquisition of U.S. chip designer Ampere and up to $40 billion in underwritten investment for OpenAI, where SoftBank has already committed $32 billion since autumn 2024.
“I’m all in on OpenAI,” Son said, expressing regret over not investing earlier and suggesting he expects OpenAI to eventually go public.
SoftBank’s renewed risk appetite comes after years of retrenchment following major losses in tech startups through its Vision Fund. The tide turned with the successful 2023 IPO of Arm, boosting SoftBank’s balance sheet and enabling further strategic investments.
Earlier this month, the group also raised $4.8 billion through a partial sale of its stake in T-Mobile, further strengthening its financial position.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 13rd of March, coveri...
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Palestinian actor Motaz Malhees has said a U.S. travel ban is preventing him from attending the 2026 Academy Aw...
All six U.S. service members aboard a plane that crashed in western on Iraq on Thursday have died, the U.S. mil...
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 13rd of March, covering the latest developments you need to know.
A widening conflict involving Iran, the United States and Israel has triggered escalating military strikes across the Middle East, disrupted shipping through the strategic Strait of Hormuz and raised concerns over global energy supplies. This live report tracks the latest developments.
North Korea fired what appeared to be a ballistic missile on Saturday (14 March), Japanese and South Korean officials said. The development comes amid the joint annual U.S.-South Korea "Freedom Shield" military drills and South Korean Prime Minister Kim Min-seok's visit to Washington.
Palestinian actor Motaz Malhees has said a U.S. travel ban is preventing him from attending the 2026 Academy Awards this Sunday (15 March), where a film in which he stars is nominated for best international feature.
Israel and Iran continued to exchange strikes on Friday (13 March), as the U.S. and French militaries reported deaths in Iraq, and the U.N. launched a $325 million appeal to help Lebanon, where a seventh of the population have left their homes since fighting began.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued veiled threats to Iran’s new Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, and Hezbollah on Thursday (12 March), during his first press conference since the conflict with Iran began.
The U.S. should shut down its military bases in the Middle East, Iran's new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei said on Thursday (12 March). His words were read out by a broadcaster on state Iranian television.
At least 64 people have been killed in southern Ethiopia following recent landslides and floods, the regional government’s communications office said on Thursday (12 March), citing local police
Ayman Ghazali, a 41-year-old U.S. citizen born in Lebanon, crashed his truck into the hallway of a Detroit-area synagogue on Thursday (12 March) while children attended preschool. Security personnel shot him dead during the confrontation, and authorities said no one else was seriously injured.
Chinese electric vehicle giant BYD is pushing to make charging an electric car almost as quick and convenient as filling up a traditional petrol vehicle - a move that could help remove one of the biggest barriers to wider electric vehicle adoption.
South Korea will soon cease to be one of the few countries where Google Maps does not function fully, after its security-conscious government reversed a two-decade-old policy and approved the export of high-precision map data to overseas servers.
New research suggests 40,000-year-old carved objects from south-western Germany bear repeated marks arranged in organised sign sequences similar to early proto-cuneiform, although they are not regarded as a form of writing.
The chief executive of Google DeepMind, Demis Hassabis, has called for more urgent research into the risks posed by artificial intelligence, warning that stronger safeguards are needed as systems become more advanced.
NASA successfully completed a critical fueling rehearsal on Thursday (19 February) for its giant moon rocket, Artemis II, after earlier hydrogen leaks disrupted preparations for the next crewed lunar mission. The launch is scheduled for 6 March, according to the latest information from NASA.
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