SoftBank Completes $41 Billion Investment Transferring $22 Billion to OpenAI and Secures 11% Stake

SoftBank Completes $41 Billion Investment to Secure Major Stake in OpenAI

SoftBank has officially finalized its massive investment in OpenAI, transferring a final tranche of approximately $22 billion to $22.5 billion last week.

The Japanese conglomerate now holds around 11% of the Sam Altman-led AI company, after committing a total of $41 billion through its Vision Fund and co-investors.

The investment was initially announced as a $40 billion commitment, with SoftBank gradually completing the full amount over multiple stages.

The first phase included $30 billion from SoftBank’s Vision Fund and $11 billion syndicated from third-party investors.

Why SoftBank Is Betting Big on AI

SoftBank founder Masayoshi Son, 68, emphasised the firm’s alignment with OpenAI’s long-term vision.

He said,

“We are deeply aligned with OpenAI’s vision of ensuring AGI benefits all of humanity.”

OpenAI chief Sam Altman added,

“SoftBank saw the potential of AI early and committed with a deep belief in its impact on humanity. Their global leadership and scale help us move faster and bring advanced intelligence to the world.”

AGI, or artificial general intelligence, represents the next stage of AI capable of outperforming humans across a range of tasks, a goal both companies are pursuing.

How the Funds Were Allocated and Strategic Moves

SoftBank’s investment is part of a broader strategy to capitalise on AI infrastructure and innovation.

OpenAI is reportedly planning over $1.4 trillion in infrastructure investments over the next several years, partnering with chipmakers such as Nvidia, AMD, and Broadcom.

Ahead of the OpenAI deal, SoftBank liquidated its $5.8 billion stake in Nvidia, and also announced a $4 billion acquisition of US data centre investor DigitalBridge to bolster its AI capabilities.

Sources indicated these moves were specifically aimed at funding the OpenAI investment.

Collaborations and Projects Beyond OpenAI

The investment also supports OpenAI’s $500 billion Stargate project, a joint infrastructure initiative with Oracle, announced by former US President Donald Trump in January 2025.

This project aims to expand AI computing capabilities across the United States.

OpenAI’s funding landscape is further diversified.

Microsoft has been a long-time investor, while Amazon is reportedly exploring a $10 billion investment.

Disney recently joined with a $1 billion equity deal, allowing its characters to be used in OpenAI’s video generator Sora.

SoftBank’s Renewed Focus on Technology and AI

After years of mixed returns on previous investments, Masayoshi Son has pivoted SoftBank heavily toward artificial intelligence and technology-driven ventures.

The OpenAI stake represents one of the largest single-company investments in the sector and positions SoftBank at the forefront of the global AI expansion.

This investment solidifies a high-profile collaboration between one of Japan’s most ambitious tech investors and the company driving much of the AI momentum today.