SoftBank Reports Significant Loss Amid Vision Fund Challenges

According to Odaily, Japanese tech investor SoftBank Group reported a net loss of 369.2 billion yen (approximately $2.4 billion) for the quarter ending in December. This downturn is attributed to a decline in the valuation of its Vision Fund. The loss raises further questions about SoftBank's ambitious plans, particularly its substantial investment in artificial intelligence company OpenAI. Sources in January indicated that SoftBank was negotiating an investment of up to $25 billion in OpenAI. Recent media reports suggest this figure has increased to $40 billion, although a portion of this investment is expected to be syndicated to other investors. The Vision Fund division reported investment losses totaling 352.7 billion yen, marking a break from two consecutive quarters of profitability.