Masayoshi Son, CEO of SoftBank Group, recently expressed a compelling viewpoint that access to artificial superintelligence ought to be treated like a basic human right, comparable to essentials such as electricity and mechanized transportation. In an interview featured by TIME, Son projected that roughly three decades from now, any community or nation that does not have access to superintelligent technologies, including advanced robotics, risks being profoundly marginalized economically and socially.
Son underscored the importance of equitable technology distribution, warning that disparities in AI access could exacerbate existing economic divides among countries. This perspective was shared publicly via a snippet posted on the social platform X late on a Monday, framing the CEO’s vision of inclusive technological progress.
Alongside these statements, SoftBank Group’s market presence received a lift, chiefly propelled by its telecommunications division, SoftBank Corp. On Tuesday, the division raised its full-year profit outlook, sparking an over 10% increase in SoftBank Group’s share price during trading in Tokyo. The momentum had begun earlier, with shares climbing more than 6% the day prior amid the electoral victory of Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi.
Positive expectations surrounding Arm Holdings Plc-ADR, a significant SoftBank portfolio company, further buoyed investor sentiment. For the first nine months of SoftBank Corp’s fiscal 2025, revenues increased 8% year-over-year, reaching 5.2 trillion yen (approximately $33 billion). Operating income mirrored this trajectory, also rising 8% to about 884 billion yen ($5.69 billion). Reflecting this performance strength, the telecom unit raised its full-year revenue forecast to 6.95 trillion yen ($45 billion), up from an earlier projection of 6.7 trillion yen ($43 billion).
SoftBank’s stance on AI is not merely rhetorical. The company has markedly intensified its strategic investments in AI-related technologies and infrastructure. Earlier in the month, Intel Corporation announced a partnership with SoftBank’s subsidiary Saimemory aimed at developing next-generation memory solutions optimized for AI and high-performance computing. This collaborative effort, known as the Z-Angle Memory (ZAM) program, intends to deliver advanced memory prototypes by 2027, aspiring toward full commercial deployment by 2030.
Furthermore, reports emerged in January that SoftBank, led by Masayoshi Son, is negotiating to allocate up to $30 billion in additional funding for OpenAI, the artificial intelligence organization behind ChatGPT. OpenAI is reportedly seeking to raise approximately $100 billion in fresh capital. This financing round, if realized, would reinforce SoftBank’s firm positioning within the AI sector.
Complementing these initiatives, SoftBank finalized a significant acquisition in December by agreeing to purchase DigitalBridge Group Inc., a global alternative asset manager. The deal, valued at around $4 billion in cash, advances SoftBank’s ambitions to scale its global AI-related digital infrastructure. DigitalBridge specializes in data centers, cell towers, fiber networks, and edge infrastructure — assets crucial for supporting expansive, high-performance AI workloads and connectivity.
Collectively, these corporate developments illustrate SoftBank’s coordinated approach to reinforcing its AI ecosystem. From bolstering internal telecom profitability and upgrading financial forecasts to strategic mergers and partnerships, the company is leveraging multiple avenues to strengthen its market position amid the accelerating adoption of artificial intelligence technologies worldwide.