According to a Financial Times report citing sources familiar with the matter, SoftBank is reportedly negotiating a substantial investment of up to $25 billion in OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT.
This move could position the Japanese conglomerate as the leading financial supporter of the AI firm, solidifying its expanding footprint in the artificial intelligence sector.
The report indicates that SoftBank is considering a direct investment ranging from $15 billion to $25 billion into OpenAI, which already has backing from Microsoft. This is in addition to its committed $15 billion investment in Stargate, a joint venture alongside Oracle and OpenAI.
Stargate, announced at the White House by the U.S. President Donald Trump, aims to earmark $500 billion to ensure America maintains its competitive edge over China and other nations in the AI landscape.
SoftBank’s strategic plan, spearheaded by CEO Masayoshi Son, to significantly deepen its stake in OpenAI and fulfill its Stargate commitments has reportedly been reviewed and approved by top executives and the OpenAI board.
SoftBank, last year, invested $1.5 billion in OpenAI. The ChatGPT owner was valued at $157 billion during its latest funding round, marking it as one of the most valuable private enterprises globally.
Meanwhile, the emergence of DeepSeek, a lesser-known Chinese startup, has caused significant market disruption with its cost-effective AI assistant, which claims to utilize cheaper chips and less data than its American rivals.
There was a widespread sell-off among chip stocks and the broader market on Monday, stemming from concerns over DeepSeek’s new AI model. Following the development, SoftBank’s shares have plummeted over 12%, reflecting investor unease amid market turbulence.
