Behind SoftBank’s Multi-Billion Dollar Bet On OpenAI

AsiaEditors' PickBehind SoftBank’s Multi-Billion Dollar Bet On OpenAIByAnu Raghunathan, Contributor. Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. I write about Indian entrepreneurs.Follow AuthorJun 08, 2026, 05:46pm EDT--:-- / --:--This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more.This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more.This story appears in the June 2026 issue of Forbes Asia. Subscribe to Forbes AsiaMasayoshi SonAndrew Harnik/Getty ImagesThis story is part of Forbes’ coverage of Japan’s Richest 2026. See the full list here. After a four year gap, billionaire Masayoshi Son reclaims the title of Japan’s richest person as his SoftBank Group’s shares more than tripled, boosting his net worth to a record $80 billion. That’s an 80% jump from the previous peak in his wealth of $44.4 billion in 2021. Stoking investor frenzy are the tech mogul’s massive bets on AI as he pursues what he calls an “artificial superintelligence strategy.” For the year to Mar. 31, SoftBank reported a more than fourfold rise in net profit to an all-time high of ¥5 trillion yen ($31 billion) on revenue of ¥7.8 trillion. The company says its performance reflects a cumulative gain of $45 billion on the value of its Vision Fund’s investment in ChatGPT-maker OpenAI, which hit a valuation of $852 billion after a March funding round. SoftBank’s multibillion dollar investments in OpenAI, financed by loans and the sale of holdings in Nvidia and U.S. telecoms company T-Mobile, will be scaled up to $65 billion by October for a 13% holding, the company says. In a February statement, Son gushed about OpenAI, calling it “a clear leader, with world-class technology and an unparalleled global user base,” adding that “we have strong conviction in its continued growth.” Striking a note of caution, ratings agency S&P Global in March downgraded SoftBank from “stable” to “negative,” saying that with the OpenAI bet, SoftBank’s “asset liquidity and quality of its portfolio, and its financial capacity are likely to deteriorate.” In May SoftBank announced a €75 billion ($87 billion) investment in France to develop and operate AI data centers with a capacity of 5 gigawatts. The first phase, comprising 3.1 gigawatts, is expected to be completed by 2031. Editorial StandardsReprints & Permissions