SoftBank is engaged in discussions to commit as much as $30 billion more to OpenAI, according to media reports, which cite people familiar with the matter, building on its existing stake in the AI firm behind ChatGPT. The potential investment, first reported by The Wall Street Journal on January 27, would contribute to a broader funding round that OpenAI is pursuing, potentially raising up to $100 billion and valuing the company at approximately $830 billion.
This development marks SoftBank’s latest move in the AI sector. Beyond OpenAI, the company had acquired US chip designer Ampere Computing for $6.5 billion and announced a $5.4 billion purchase of ABB Ltd.’s robotics unit. And last year, the company had committed up to $40 billion to OpenAI, structured through its Vision Fund 2 and including syndicated co-investments. This culminated in December with the completion of a $41 billion total investment—comprising $7.5 billion in an initial tranche, $22.5 billion in a subsequent closing, and $11 billion from third-party co-investors—securing SoftBank an approximately 11% stake in OpenAI. To fund these commitments, SoftBank liquidated its entire position in Nvidia, valued at around $5.8 billion, as well as sold portions of other holdings such as T-Mobile US shares as well.
In addition to this, both SoftBank and OpenAI are key participants in the Stargate project, a $500 billion initiative announced earlier last year, that would witness the construction of a massive AI data centers in the United States. SoftBank holds financial responsibility for aspects of the venture, with OpenAI managing operations, and Son serving as chairman. Additional collaborations include a $1 billion joint investment in SB Energy announced in January 2026 to support renewable-powered data center development. Still, the latest infusion of capital comes at a time when the ChatGPT-maker is facing escalating operational demands. Training and deploying advanced models require enormous computational resources, driving costs higher amid intensifying competition from Alphabet’s Google, Anthropic, and others. The company’s leadership, including CEO Sam Altman, has actively courted Middle Eastern sovereign wealth funds and other institutional investors to fuel this expansion.
The proposed $30 billion addition would further entrench SoftBank as one of OpenAI’s largest backers, potentially increasing its influence as OpenAI pursues ambitious infrastructure and model development goals. Discussions are in early stages, with Altman reportedly meeting investors in the Middle East to line up commitments for a round that could total $50 billion or more, at a valuation range of $750 billion to $830 billion. Should the additional investment materialize and the funding round close successfully, it would further cement SoftBank’s position in the AI investment sector, potentially yielding substantial returns if OpenAI achieves breakthroughs in agentic systems or widespread adoption. For OpenAI, fresh capital would accelerate infrastructure buildout, talent acquisition, and product innovation, strengthening its edge in a crowded field as well.
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