According to the Financial Times, SoftBank Group CEO Masayoshi Son has held discussions in recent weeks with senior Gulf officials about raising as much as $100 billion from Gulf-based investors to finance a new investment vehicle focused on artificial intelligence. The report cites people close to the transaction.
The Financial Times said the discussions included contacts in the United Arab Emirates. SoftBank did not respond to requests for comment, and Reuters was unable to independently verify the report.
Purpose and structure of the proposed fund
The FT reports the planned fund would concentrate on company buyouts. Acquired businesses would be optimized using artificial intelligence and other advanced technologies, with the aim of improving operational efficiency and accelerating value creation across the portfolio.
Context within SoftBank's AI strategy
The move would align with SoftBank’s increasingly assertive AI strategy. According to media reports, the company last week completed a $30 billion investment in OpenAI tied to the latter’s most recent funding round. In addition, SoftBank recently raised $11.1 billion through a large high-yield corporate bond issuance, part of which has been linked to financing the OpenAI investment.
What to watch
- The Financial Times based its report on people close to the transaction; there is no official confirmation from SoftBank.
- Reuters could not independently confirm the details.
- If the reported $100 billion were raised, it would significantly expand SoftBank’s capital available for AI-driven acquisition activity.
An AI assistant contributed to the preparation of this article; the final copy was edited and verified by a journalist.
