SoftBank Finalizes $30 Billion OpenAI Investment with $22.5 Billion Payment
SoftBank has approved a second tranche of $22.5 billion to complete its $30 billion investment in OpenAI, contingent on the AI firm's corporate restructuring ahead of a potential public listing. The Japanese conglomerate's board greenlit the payment following negotiations tied to OpenAI's transition toward becoming a publicly traded entity.
Masayoshi Son, SoftBank's CEO, has long championed OpenAI's valuation potential, predicting it could become "the most valuable company in the world." His conviction dates back to 2019 when OpenAI CEO Sam Altman initially sought SoftBank's investment—a deal that ultimately went to Microsoft. While Microsoft secured exclusive cloud infrastructure rights initially, that arrangement dissolved earlier this year, leaving SoftBank's current partnership dynamics uncertain.
