SoftBank is “all in” on OpenAI, CEO Masayoshi Son said on Friday, as the Japanese tech giant looks to realize its vision of “artificial superintelligence.”
This year, the Japanese multinational conglomerate has been increasing its investments in OpenAI and participating in joint ventures such as the $500 billion Stargate project.
According to Son, SoftBank is now “all in” on the artificial intelligence company, with total planned investments in the company reaching about 4.8 trillion Japanese yen ($33.2 billion), despite it being unlisted and unprofitable.
“I think that OpenAI will be listed eventually and, in my belief, will become the most valuable company in the world,” Son said. He added, however, that it “takes bravery to invest” in such a company.
As it turns out, Son has long held that conviction. During the shareholders’ meeting, he revealed that before 2019, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman had asked him if SoftBank would invest $10 billion into the company.
