SoftBank's Masayoshi Son Readies For 'Next Big' Investment Move After Setback From Alibaba, WeWork: 'Without Fear Of...Hit Or Miss'

In a recent announcement, SoftBank Group Corp. (OTC:SFTBY) founder, Masayoshi Son, revealed his intent to make a significant investment in artificial intelligence (AI).

What Happened: Son’s announcement suggests that SoftBank is on the verge of a substantial AI investment. While acknowledging the venture’s potential for success or failure, Son emphasized that SoftBank had no choice but to take the risk, reported Bloomberg on Thursday.

"We need to look for our next big move, without fear of whether it'll be a hit or miss," he said.

SoftBank’s CFO, Yoshimitsu Goto, recently echoed Son’s sentiments, stressing the company’s need to take more risks, particularly in the rapidly developing field of AI.

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Following a string of startup losses, including Adam Neumann’s co-working giant WeWork, Son has shifted his focus to chip unit Arm Holdings Plc and AI investment strategy. In May, SoftBank also offloaded its entire stake in Alibaba Group Holdings after the Jack Ma founded company caused the investment giant to incur 959.9 billion yen ($6.16 billion) "realized and unrealized valuation losses.”

Son’s recent statement indicates his readiness to re-enter the investment arena.

Why It Matters: SoftBank has been pivoting from venture capital to investments in semiconductors and AI since the end of 2021. The company’s flagship Vision Fund has reportedly reduced its U.S.-listed portfolio by nearly $29 billion.

SoftBank also plans to expand its renewable power generation business to meet the power needs of generative AI, particularly in the US. Additionally, Son is reportedly seeking up to $100 billion to fund a chip venture that could rival Nvidia Corp. and supply essential semiconductors for AI.

Despite a full-year net loss, SoftBank reported a quarterly net profit of $1.5 billion in May, driven by the soaring valuation of Arm Holdings, as it continues to amass funds for its AI expansion.

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Photo by Nobuyuki Hayashi on Shutterstock

This story was generated using Benzinga Neuro and edited by Pooja Rajkumari