SoftBank Group is reportedly in talks to invest up to $30 billion more in OpenAI, potentially valuing the ChatGPT owner at a staggering $830 billion. This move underscores SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son's focus on artificial intelligence, marking a significant investment in the rapidly evolving sector.
The potential investment is part of a larger fundraising initiative by OpenAI, which aims to secure up to $100 billion from investors. If successful, this funding round could solidify OpenAI's position as a leader in the AI industry. The discussions are ongoing and the final investment amount could change.
SoftBank already holds a substantial stake in OpenAI. In December, SoftBank disclosed it had acquired an 11% stake in OpenAI for $41 billion. To support its increasing investments in AI, SoftBank has been divesting from other assets, including holdings in Nvidia and T-Mobile US.
An $830 billion valuation would place OpenAI, a still-private company, in an elite class, challenging the market capitalizations of established public giants. For context, this valuation approaches nearly half that of Meta Platforms ($1.7 trillion) and would significantly exceed the value of many legacy blue-chip firms. This figure is a dramatic increase from its October 2025 secondary share sale at a $500 billion valuation and highlights the extreme investor conviction in the future of artificial intelligence.
The immense capital infusion is driven by the rising costs required to train and operate cutting-edge AI models. Internal documents reportedly show OpenAI expects to lose $14 billion in 2026 alone, necessitating a vast war chest to maintain its technological lead over heavily-funded competitors.
SoftBank's increased focus on AI extends beyond OpenAI. Recent acquisitions include U.S. chip producer Ampere Computing for $6.5 billion and ABB's robotics unit for $5.4 billion. SoftBank and OpenAI are also financial backers of Stargate, a $500 billion project to build AI-focused data centers.
The news of SoftBank's potential investment has had a positive impact on its stock. SoftBank's shares rose 3.5% in Tokyo as investors reacted to the escalating capital arms race in the generative AI sector.
However, concerns remain about the increasing competition in the AI sector. Rivals such as Anthropic and Google's Gemini have been improving their capabilities. Anthropic, a competitor founded by OpenAI alumni, recently raised its investment target from $10 billion to $20 billion, with its corporate value expected to rise to $350 billion.
