Elon Musk predicted it again: artificial intelligence will save billions. But this future, according to him, remains to come. Not for Softbank. For the Japanese giant, the billions are already there, and AI is no longer a promise, but a reality. In a few months, the firm transformed a daring bet into a historic jackpot. And while others procrastinate, Softbank is rushing headlong into the AI revolution, ready to become its global pillar.
In brief
- Softbank has been investing heavily in OpenAI through its Vision Fund 2 since the end of 2024.
- OpenAI's valuation exceeds $500 billion in November 2025.
- To finance AI, Softbank is selling its Nvidia shares and part of T-Mobile.
- The company plans more than $34 billion in total investment in AI by December.
OpenAI: the nugget that pays more than a crypto jackpot
AI news: in September 2024, Softbank enters the capital of OpenAI. Since then, it has been euphoria. Result: $19 billion raised in a single quarter thanks to its participation in the Vision Fund. CFO Yoshimitsu Goto sums up this performance bluntly:
The reason we were able to achieve this result is because of last September: that's when we first invested in OpenAI.
With a valuation that has jumped to $500 billion, OpenAI is overtaking many star cryptos like Ethereum. But for Softbank, the most impressive thing is not the number: it's the speed.
Masayoshi Son, the founder of Softbank, does not hide his ambition: to become a key player in artificial intelligence. He claims that AI will transform all industries and lifestyles.
The group is not just betting on a gamble: it is building long-term domination.
Sell Nvidia to buy the future: Liquid Softbank to bet on AI
To keep up, Softbank had to find cash. In October, he sells 32.1 million Nvidia sharestaking in $5.83 billion. At the same time, part of the shares in T-Mobile is sold, for 9.17 billion.
But that's not all. Two bridging loans (8.5 and 6.5 billion), and bonds in dollars, euros and yen swell the envelope. In total, more than 20 billion raised for a single target: OpenAI.
Stated goal: invest $34.7 billion in AI through Vision Fund 2 by December. At this point, even Meta and Google seem timid.
Softbank doesn't want to miss the train:
Opinions are divided, but SoftBank's position is that the risk of not investing is much greater than the risk of investing.
Yoshimitsu Goto, CFO of Softbank.
And too bad if some people talk about a bubble. For Son, it is better to risk big than to remain a spectator.
Dizzying figures, market tensions and the dream of total AI
The results are dizzying: 2,500 billion yen in net profit over one quarter. And yet, as soon as these figures were announced, Softbank lost 50 billion in capitalization on the stock market. The volatility is maximum.
Yet the vision remains clear. Softbank partners with OpenAI and Oracle to build 5 mega data centers in the United States. The objective: to provide 7 GW for AI. This is 400 billion dollars of investment over 3 years. Never seen before.
Meanwhile, other large groups like Amazon or Google are hesitant. Too much risk? Maybe. But for Softbank, it's now or never.
What to remember in 5 points
- Softbank doubled its quarterly profits to 2.5 trillion yen;
- OpenAI delivered 93% annual growth in AI revenue;
- OpenAI valuation: $500 billion;
- Softbank plans $34.7 billion in AI investment by end of 2025;
- The 4-for-1 stock split makes its shares accessible to the general public.
But all is not rosy. Recently, a complaint was filed against OpenAI. It implicates GPT-4o in cases of suicide. A tragic affair which reminds us that even the most promising technologies can have a human cost. For Softbank, as for AI in general, the real challenge remains: to grow without slipping.
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