SoftBank in Talks to Invest Up to $25 Billion in AI Startup OpenAI
SoftBank Group Corp. is reportedly in discussions to invest as much as $25 billion in OpenAI, a move that would potentially make it the AI startup's largest backer.
This investment would come on top of SoftBank's existing commitment of over $15 billion to Project Stargate, a joint venture with OpenAI to deploy $100 billion in AI infrastructure, including data centers.
The two companies aim to invest $500 billion in the project over four years. SoftBank's direct investment in OpenAI could range from $15 billion to $25 billion, according to sources cited by the Financial Times.
SoftBank and OpenAI's leaders, Masayoshi Son and Sam Altman, have a long-standing relationship in AI technology.
The Stargate project has faced skepticism from industry figures like Elon Musk, who has questioned its lack of concrete details and financing. However, SoftBank's potential investment would signal renewed confidence in the project.