SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son announced on Monday a new partnership with OpenAI CEO Sam Altman to create a joint venture, SB OpenAI Japan, aimed at providing artificial intelligence services to corporate clients in Japan. The venture will be jointly owned by OpenAI and a company established by SoftBank and its telecoms arm.
As part of the agreement, SoftBank will pay $3 billion annually to use OpenAI’s technology across its group of companies. This move deepens SoftBank’s commitment to OpenAI, with plans to invest between $15 billion and $25 billion in the company. Additionally, SoftBank is investing $15 billion in Stargate, a joint venture with OpenAI and Oracle to expand AI capacity in the U.S.
The collaboration signals a shift for Son, who is looking to re-establish himself as a major investment player after a challenging period for SoftBank’s portfolio. Son has a long history of tech partnerships, including bringing the iPhone to Japan in 2008.
Son and Altman also met with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba on Monday to discuss the new venture and the growing importance of AI technology.
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