SoftBank
Coverage of SoftBank in the Nexus archive.
- Kemp holds meeting with OpenAI and Georgia Power in Atlanta
Governor Brian Kemp met with OpenAI and Georgia Power in Atlanta to discuss the company's business plans, including potential data center projects and economic development in Georgia. OpenAI's representatives included leaders in site readiness and development, while the meeting's details remain unclear. The state has an Office of Artificial Intelligence and OpenAI is involved in a national data center project with Oracle and SoftBank.
- Masa Son’s greatest gamble
Masa Son, the SoftBank founder, has made a significant investment in artificial intelligence (AI). The article highlights this major financial commitment as his most substantial risk.
- Son remakes SoftBank in his own image
Son has positioned himself at the center of the global AI boom through his role at SoftBank. Some critics argue he now wields excessive control.
- SoftBank is committing billions to build AI data centers in France
SoftBank, a Japanese investment giant, is committing billions to build AI data centers in France, aiming to develop 5 GW of capacity. The initial phase will focus on the Hauts-de-France region.
- SoftBank surges past Toyota to become Japan's most valuable company on the AI rally
SoftBank's stock rose 14% on Monday, increasing its market cap to over ¥48 trillion and surpassing Toyota as Japan's most valuable company. The surge is attributed to AI-driven market enthusiasm reshaping Japan's corporate hierarchy.
- Japan rallies tech-giant alliance to build sovereign AI
Japan is forming a consortium with SoftBank Corp., Sony, NEC, and Honda, funded by the government, to develop a national AI foundation model in partnership with the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology. The initiative aims to challenge US and Chinese dominance in artificial intelligence.
- Japan wants 10 million more robots by 2040, some providing medical care
Japan aims to adopt 10 million robots by 2040, with some providing medical care and working in food manufacturing. The initiative, led by Economy Minister Ryosei Akazawa, involves AI-powered robots and a new collaboration between SoftBank, NEC, Sony Group, Honda, and potentially Fujitsu and Rakuten under the organization 'Noetra'.
- World shares follow Wall Street higher, while the Japanese yen hits a 39-year low against the dollar
World markets rose following Wall Street gains, with European and Asian indices like the DAX and Nikkei 225 showing increases. The Japanese yen hit a 40-year low against the U.S. dollar, driven by interest rate differentials and speculation about potential Japanese government intervention.
- Asian shares follow Wall Street higher, while the Japanese yen hits a 39-year low against the dollar
Asian shares rose following Wall Street gains, with rebounds in South Korean, Japanese, and Taiwanese markets after earlier tech sell-offs. The Japanese yen hit a 39-year low against the dollar, sparking speculation about potential intervention by Japanese authorities.
- Softbank-Backed Oravel Updates Filing for $703 Million India IPO
SoftBank-backed Oravel has updated its filing for a $703 million initial public offering (IPO) in India. The article includes a photograph of Oyo's signage, credited to photographer Toru Hanai of Bloomberg.
- Asian shares are mixed as tech stocks fall in Japan and South Korea
Asian markets were mixed as tech stocks declined in Japan and South Korea due to falling AI-related shares, while other regions saw gains. U.S.-Iran tensions escalated, affecting oil prices and global economic uncertainty. The Nikkei 225 and Kospi dropped significantly, but indices in Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Shanghai rose.
- Asian shares are mixed as tech stocks fall in Japan and South Korea
Asian markets were mixed as tech stocks in Japan and South Korea fell due to selling of AI-related shares, while gains in other sectors offset some losses. U.S.-Iran tensions escalated, impacting oil prices and global economic uncertainty.
- SoftBank’s CEO isn’t the only one with questions about Elon Musk’s orbital data center hype
SoftBank’s CEO and others are skeptical of Elon Musk’s vision for orbital data centers. The article states that not everyone is buying into Musk’s concept.
- Apple down 6%. Microsoft down 3%. SoftBank down 12%. The tech selloff isn't just about chips anymore.
Apple, Microsoft, and SoftBank all experienced significant stock declines, with SoftBank down 12%. The tech selloff is expanding beyond semiconductor-related concerns, as Brent crude oil prices fall below $73 per barrel and the Nasdaq faces a weekly loss exceeding 4%.
- SoftBank stock plunges as report says OpenAI is pushing back its IPO
SoftBank stock fell after a report indicated OpenAI is delaying its IPO. SoftBank holds a $65 billion stake in OpenAI, and prior expectations of a public listing had driven its stock to record highs.
- The tech selloff has a new worry, and it involves OpenAI’s IPO timeline
SoftBank shares declined after a report indicated OpenAI may postpone its IPO until next year. The potential delay in OpenAI's initial public offering has raised concerns among investors.
- SoftBank sinks 12% as Asia tech rout tracks declines in the U.S.
SoftBank Group's stock fell 12%, leading a selloff in Asian technology stocks due to concerns about rising artificial intelligence infrastructure costs.
- Softbank CEO dismisses Elon Musk’s extraterrestrial data center idea in favor of maximizing Earth-side construction now: ‘He who strikes first wins’
SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son dismissed Elon Musk's orbital data center concept, arguing that immediate Earth-based construction is more practical and cost-effective. SoftBank prioritizes terrestrial data centers and has committed $19 billion to the Stargate project led by OpenAI, aiming to build AI infrastructure in the U.S. over four years with a total $500 billion investment.
- Agility Robotics heads to Wall Street in a $2.5B bet on staffing warehouses with humanoids
Agility Robotics, a maker of humanoid warehouse robots, plans to go public via a $2.5B merger with Churchill Capital Group. The company's Digit robots, designed for repetitive industrial tasks, have backing from Amazon, Nvidia, SoftBank, and Foxconn, with early customers including Toyota and Mercado Libre.
- SoftBank Seeks Stake in Japan’s Top Utility to Power AI Boom
SoftBank is seeking a stake in Japan’s top utility to support the AI boom. The article mentions Masayoshi Son in relation to this development.
- SoftBank CEO questions Elon Musk's vision of AI data centers in space: 'What's the point?'
SoftBank founder Masayoshi Son criticized Elon Musk's proposal for space-based AI data centers, arguing the costs outweigh benefits. Son stated electricity savings (7% of AI infrastructure costs) would be offset by higher maintenance and networking expenses in orbit, while SoftBank focuses on near-term AI opportunities.
- SoftBank-Backed Car Marketplace Carro Is Said to Explore US IPO
SoftBank-backed car marketplace Carro is reportedly considering a US initial public offering (IPO). The company, which operates an online car sales platform, has not officially confirmed the potential listing plans.
- Wall Street quietly mixed in premarket, oil prices fall on optimism over U.S.-Iran negotiations
Wall Street indices showed mixed premarket performance as oil prices declined due to optimism over U.S.-Iran negotiations. High-level talks in Switzerland concluded with encouraging progress reported by mediators Qatar and Pakistan, while the Strait of Hormuz's status remains disputed. Asian and European stock markets saw varied gains, driven by AI-related sectors and geopolitical developments.
- Asian shares are mixed and US futures fall as Iran talks make progress
Asian stocks were mixed with Japan and South Korea trading higher, while US futures fell amid progress in U.S.-Iran negotiations. Oil prices dropped as optimism grew over potential peace talks, though risks of Middle East tensions persist. Key AI-focused companies in Japan and South Korea saw significant gains.
- Asian shares are mixed and US futures fall as Iran talks make progress
Asian stocks were mixed with Japan and South Korea markets rising, while U.S. futures fell amid optimism over U.S.-Iran negotiations. Oil prices dropped as talks progressed, though tensions over the Strait of Hormuz remain. Technology stocks in Japan and South Korea gained due to AI sector excitement.
- Asian shares are mixed and US futures fall as Iran talks make progress
Asian stocks were mixed with Japan and South Korea rising amid AI-driven gains, while U.S. futures fell and oil prices dropped due to optimism over U.S.-Iran negotiations. Progress in talks reduced tension around the Strait of Hormuz, though risks of conflict remain. The U.S. PCE inflation data is set for release later this week.
- Sam Altman thinks AI will surpass human intelligence by 2030. His rival AI billionaires say it’ll be even sooner
Sam Altman predicts AI will surpass human intelligence by 2030, with rivals like Dario Amodei and Elon Musk forecasting even faster progress. Altman highlights AI's potential to automate significant economic tasks and discusses infrastructure challenges for scaling advanced models.
- Hyundai buys Boston Dynamics, Atlas humanoid to be used at vehicle plant by 2028
Hyundai has acquired Boston Dynamics from SoftBank for $325 million. The company plans to deploy Atlas humanoid robots at a vehicle manufacturing plant by 2028.
- SoftBank surges more than 12% as Iran-U.S. peace deal sends Asia stocks soaring
SoftBank's stock surged more than 12% as an Iran-U.S. peace deal boosted Asian tech stocks. The agreement between Iran and the U.S. triggered a rise in Asia stocks.
- SoftBank's bid to borrow $6 billion against its OpenAI stake has stalled
SoftBank's attempt to borrow $6 billion against its OpenAI stake has stalled. The company is exploring alternative fundraising options as it faces a $40 billion bridge financing due in March 2027.
- Here’s why shares in SoftBank, no longer Japan’s most valuable, have fallen by a fifth in the last week
SoftBank's shares have fallen by a fifth in the last week as concerns about its funding commitments for OpenAI and failure to meet ambitious internal growth targets have raised worries among potential creditors.
- SoftBank sinks 10% as Asia tech stocks tumble, tracking Wall Street losses
SoftBank's stock dropped 10% as Asian semiconductor and technology stocks declined, following losses on Wall Street. The downturn in Asia reflects broader tech sector weakness linked to overnight market trends.
- Asia tech stocks extend sell-off with SoftBank down over 7% as investors sour on AI-linked names
Asian tech stocks experienced a sell-off, with SoftBank declining over 7%. The decline followed overnight losses in U.S. tech stocks, particularly Broadcom.
- In the AI gold rush, everyone is selling the same shovels
AI companies are rapidly expanding into each other's markets, with labs like Anthropic and OpenAI entering coding platforms and agentic application spaces. Startups such as Emergent anticipate competition from larger firms but believe challenges like building secure, production-grade apps for non-technical users remain difficult for spread-thin competitors.
- France boosts data center expansion amid pushback from residents
France is expanding data centers, including a CyrusOne facility in Wissous near Paris, amid local resident opposition due to lack of consultation. President Macron's digital sovereignty goals and SoftBank's $50 billion data center investment are driving the push, but critics highlight environmental and regulatory challenges.
- SoftBank's Masayoshi Son says AI is already designing OpenAI's next model
SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son stated that AI is already designing OpenAI's next model and predicted superintelligence will arrive within two years, earlier than his previous forecast.
- AI is designing OpenAI's next model in a sign of 'super intelligence': SoftBank's Masayoshi Son to CNBC
SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son stated that artificial super intelligence will arrive sooner than his previous ten-year forecast. He mentioned AI is designing OpenAI's next model, signaling progress toward 'super intelligence.'
- SoftBank's shares are down 10% amid broader tech sell-off
SoftBank's shares fell 10% following a U.S. market sell-off driven by profit taking in the tech sector. The decline reflects broader volatility in technology-related stocks.
- SoftBank’s OpenAI bet and rising debt are raising liquidity crunch concerns
SoftBank's investment in OpenAI and increasing debt are raising concerns about a liquidity crunch. Analysts warn that the market's optimism about SoftBank is obscuring growing balance-sheet risks.
- Big Tech's AI ambitions pose a major power test for Europe
Japan's SoftBank announced plans to build 3.1 GW of AI data centers in the northern Hauts-de-France region by 2031. The project is linked to Big Tech's AI ambitions and their energy demands in Europe.