SoftBank in talks to invest up to $30 billion more in OpenAI

Summary

SoftBank Group Corp is reportedly in discussions to invest up to $30 billion more in artificial intelligence leader OpenAI, as part of a broader funding round that could raise up to $100 billion and value the AI company around $830 billion, people familiar with the matter said.

SoftBank weighs another multibillion-dollar commitment to OpenAI

TOKYO — SoftBank Group is in talks to inject as much as $30 billion in additional capital into OpenAI, according to people familiar with the discussions, in a move that would deepen the Japanese conglomerate’s commitment to artificial intelligence and further cement its position as one of OpenAI’s biggest backers.

The potential investment would be part of a larger funding round that could raise up to $100 billion and place OpenAI’s valuation near $830 billion — a figure that underscores intense investor interest in AI infrastructure and generative AI platforms.

SoftBank declined to comment on the reported talks, which were initially reported by The Wall Street Journal and corroborated by people familiar with the matter.

Masayoshi Son’s aggressive AI strategy

The reported talks follow SoftBank’s previous multibillion-dollar commitments to OpenAI. In December 2025, the company disclosed it had completed a $41 billion investment, giving it an estimated 11% stake in the ChatGPT developer.

Under CEO Masayoshi Son, SoftBank has made artificial intelligence a strategic priority, often redirecting capital from other areas of its Vision Fund portfolio to back AI infrastructure and platforms. Earlier rounds of AI-related investment have included infrastructure initiatives such as Stargate, a reported $500 billion joint venture aimed at building large-scale AI data centre capacity.

Rising costs and competitive pressures

OpenAI is incurring rising expenses tied to training and operating large-scale AI models, which require vast amounts of compute power, specialised chips and expanding data centre infrastructure.

At the same time, competition from tech giants — including Alphabet’s Google — and emerging AI players has intensified the global AI arms race, making continuous capital infusions increasingly necessary to maintain leadership.

Why This Matters

A potential $30 billion injection from SoftBank would highlight how AI funding is becoming concentrated among a small group of deep-pocketed investors willing to bankroll the massive infrastructure costs of next-generation computing.

For OpenAI, financing at a near-trillion-dollar valuation signals strong investor confidence despite soaring operating expenses and rising competition.

For SoftBank, the move reinforces Masayoshi Son’s strategy of repositioning the conglomerate around artificial intelligence as its central long-term growth engine.

FAQs

Q1. How much is SoftBank considering investing in OpenAI?

SoftBank is reportedly in talks to invest up to $30 billion more in OpenAI as part of a larger funding round.

Q2. What valuation is discussed for OpenAI?

The broader funding round could value OpenAI around $830 billion.

Q3. How much has SoftBank already invested?

SoftBank previously completed a $41 billion investment, giving it an estimated 11% stake.

Q4. Why does OpenAI need so much funding?

Training and operating advanced AI models requires massive spending on compute infrastructure, data centres, and specialised chips.

Q5. How does this fit SoftBank’s strategy?

CEO Masayoshi Son has made AI the core focus of SoftBank, shifting capital away from traditional Vision Fund investments toward AI platforms and infrastructure.

Q6. What is Stargate?

Stargate is a planned large-scale AI data centre infrastructure initiative supported by OpenAI, SoftBank and partners to massively expand computing capacity.

Q7. Who are OpenAI’s main competitors?

Major competitors include Google and other global technology firms investing heavily in generative AI and cloud-based AI platforms.