SoftBank’s Masayoshi Son Leads a $500 Billion AI Comeback

Tokyo, Japan – August 21, 2025 –
SoftBank founder Masayoshi Son has launched an ambitious comeback in the world of artificial intelligence, unveiling a $500 billion initiative to build next-generation AI infrastructure. The project, developed in partnership with OpenAI and Oracle, will focus on constructing advanced data centers designed to handle the exponential growth of AI applications.

A Strategic Pivot to Infrastructure

After years of volatile investments in startups, Son is shifting SoftBank’s focus toward the foundations of AI rather than speculative consumer apps. By building large-scale data centers, SoftBank hopes to secure a key role in powering the models that drive the global AI economy. The infrastructure push also includes heavy investment in AI chipmakers such as Arm, Graphcore, Ampere, Intel, and a renewed stake in Nvidia.

Industry Challenges

Despite the ambitious scale, analysts warn that an AI investment bubble may be forming. Reports indicate that nearly 95% of corporate AI projects fail, often due to poor execution and lack of integration into real business models. The recent drop in tech stocks – with Nvidia shares sliding by 3.5% – highlights concerns about overvaluation in the sector.

Why It Matters

SoftBank’s strategy signals a new phase in the AI race: a battle for control of the infrastructure backbone rather than just applications. If successful, this could give SoftBank a decisive role in the global AI ecosystem, bridging the gap between hardware innovation and advanced AI models. However, the risks remain high, and only time will tell whether Son’s bold gamble will pay off.

Reference:
Reuters – AI Intelligencer: Masayoshi Son doesn’t do quiet pivots—he stages comebacks