What To Know
- From his legendary $20 million investment in Alibaba back in 2000, which turned into a multibillion-dollar windfall, to his creation of the colossal $100 billion Vision Fund, Son has never been afraid to think big.
- Over the past few years, but especially recently, SoftBank has accelerated its AI-focused investments and acquisitions, determined to secure a pivotal role in the unfolding AI era.
AI News: SoftBank’s Visionary Leader Turns to Artificial Intelligence
Masayoshi Son, the billionaire founder of SoftBank, has always been known for his bold and unconventional investment moves. From his legendary $20 million investment in Alibaba back in 2000, which turned into a multibillion-dollar windfall, to his creation of the colossal $100 billion Vision Fund, Son has never been afraid to think big. Today, his focus has shifted toward what he believes will be the most transformative technology in human history — artificial intelligence (AI). He has publicly declared that artificial superintelligence (ASI), AI that is 10,000 times smarter than humans, will be a reality within the next decade. This AI News report examines how Son is now positioning SoftBank to be at the epicenter of this global technological revolution.
Masayoshi Son from the SoftBank is banking big on the AI industry and startups
Image Credit: SoftBank
For Son, the pursuit of AI dominance is personal. He has stated that SoftBank’s very founding — and even his own life’s purpose — is tied to realizing the vision of ASI. Over the past few years, but especially recently, SoftBank has accelerated its AI-focused investments and acquisitions, determined to secure a pivotal role in the unfolding AI era.
Building an AI Empire Through Strategic Acquisitions
One of SoftBank’s most important AI-related acquisitions was its 2016 purchase of chip designer Arm for approximately $32 billion. Today, Arm is valued at over $145 billion and plays a crucial role in powering AI infrastructure. Arm-based chips are used in nearly all smartphones and are now part of Nvidia’s AI data center systems. Earlier this year, SoftBank moved to acquire another semiconductor player, Ampere Computing, for $6.5 billion, aiming to deepen its influence in AI hardware.
Another major focus has been OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT. SoftBank has pledged to invest around 4.8 trillion yen ($32.7 billion) into the company. Across its portfolio, SoftBank is building an integrated AI ecosystem covering semiconductors, software, cloud services, robotics, and AI-powered applications in areas like healthcare, education, and autonomous systems. The strategy is to ensure these companies use advanced intelligence to make better products, compete more effectively, and delight customers.
Long-Term Fascination with AI and Robotics
Son’s obsession with AI isn’t new. In 2010, during SoftBank’s “Next 30-Year Vision” presentation, he spoke about “brain computers” capable of self-learning and self-programming. In 2012, SoftBank acquired a majority stake in Aldebaran, a French robotics firm, and introduced Pepper, the humanoid robot that could read emotions. Although Pepper failed commercially and production ceased in 2020, the venture demonstrated Son’s forward-looking interest in merging robotics with AI.
By 2017, Son had launched the Vision Fund, which poured billions into tech startups worldwide. Many of these bets, such as Uber and Chinese ride-hailing giant Didi, reflected his belief that AI’s first transformative impact would be in autonomous vehicles. However, the timing proved challenging — driverless cars remain in development, and several investments underperformed, leading to major Vision Fund losses in 2022.
From Defense Mode to AI Offensive
The massive setbacks forced SoftBank into a defensive posture, cutting back on new investments. Unfortunately, this coincided with the early stages of the generative AI boom, meaning SoftBank initially missed opportunities to secure bigger stakes in emerging leaders. Son has admitted he wanted to invest in OpenAI as early as 2019, but Microsoft beat him to it.
However, by 2025, SoftBank has shifted aggressively back into AI. The Vision Fund’s portfolio is now heavily weighted toward AI-focused companies, reflecting Son’s belief that the AI investment cycle is still in its infancy. The company sees enormous opportunities not only in AI model development but also in the foundational technologies — from chips to cloud systems — that power these models.
High Stakes in a Rapidly Shifting AI Race
The AI industry is evolving at breakneck speed, with both U.S. and Chinese tech giants pushing toward artificial general intelligence (AGI), AI that can outperform humans in most tasks. The stakes are enormous, and so are the risks. Disruption can emerge suddenly, as seen when Chinese company DeepSeek unveiled a competitive AI reasoning model developed far more cheaply than U.S. counterparts, shaking market assumptions about Western dominance in AI.
SoftBank faces the constant challenge of betting on the eventual winners in this still-developing field. Industry experts warn that while many of SoftBank’s AI investments are currently in market leaders, unforeseen challengers could rise and change the competitive landscape entirely.
A Multi-Century Vision for AI Leadership
Masayoshi Son has often spoken about SoftBank’s “300-year plan” — a corporate DNA designed to ensure its survival and success for centuries. To achieve this, he is willing to take extraordinary risks and pay high valuations for companies he believes align with his vision. Despite past setbacks and timing missteps, his strategy remains steadfast: position SoftBank as a key architect of the AI-powered future.
If Son’s predictions hold true and ASI arrives within the next decade, SoftBank’s current moves could cement its place at the core of a historic technological transformation. But as the AI race intensifies, the final outcome will depend on whether his chosen companies can adapt, innovate, and dominate in a field where change happens faster than ever before.
In the end, Masayoshi Son is betting not just on AI, but on the belief that SoftBank can become the connective tissue linking the most critical AI technologies together. If successful, this could yield returns rivaling — or even surpassing — the legendary Alibaba deal, ensuring SoftBank’s influence for generations. If not, it will stand as one of the most ambitious, high-stakes gambles in corporate history. For now, the world will be watching to see whether Son’s AI empire-building will lead to enduring success or an expensive lesson in overreach.
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