6 days ago
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Pushing the frontier of AI, Masayoshi Son sets sights on transforming sectors from data centers to health.
Photo: Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post
Key Takeaways
- SoftBank Group's founder is set to announce $100 billion investment in AI during a visit with Trump.
- The initiative focuses on semiconductor manufacturing and AI development projects.
SoftBank Group Corp. CEO Masayoshi Son plans to announce a $100 billion investment in US artificial intelligence infrastructure during a meeting with President-elect Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago on Monday, according to CNBC.
The initiative also targets the creation of 100,000 jobs across the US over the next four years, focusing on key AI development areas like semiconductor manufacturing, data centers, and energy production infrastructure.
The investment is expected to draw capital from the existing SoftBank Vision Fund and new investment projects, following a similar structure to Son’s 2016 US investment initiative.
SoftBank’s CEO said in an interview with Bloomberg earlier this year that artificial superintelligence, or ASI, is his ultimate goal. Son’s strategy prioritizes the development of ASI, envisioning AI chips powering robots and data centers capable of solving complex problems like curing cancer.
The CEO of SoftBank also revealed his plan to raise up to $100 billion for an AI chip venture called Izanagi to compete with Nvidia Corp., though specific details weren’t provided at the time.
After a period of more cautious investment, SoftBank is now signaling a return to a more aggressive investment strategy, specifically focused on AI. The company is ready to take on more risk to capitalize on the potential of the rapidly developing technology.
“Failing to take risks constitutes the biggest risk,” CFO Yoshimitsu Goto told Bloomberg.
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