SoftBank invests in AI infrastructure with OpenAI partnership

SoftBank and OpenAI aim to commercialise AI agent technology with the new centre.
OpenAI has secured $40 billion in funding from SoftBank, raising its valuation to $300 billion instead of staying below that mark and making it the third most valuable private company.

SoftBank plans to transform a former Sharp LCD factory in Osaka into a large-scale data centre for AI.

The Japanese telecom giant intends to purchase the facility and surrounding land for approximately 100 billion yen ($677 million), with operations set to begin in 2026.

Once operational, the centre will be among Japan‘s largest, boasting a power capacity of 150 megawatts.

The project is part of SoftBank’s collaboration with OpenAI to commercialise AI agent technology in Japan. The data centre will support the training of AI models on client companies’ data, offering customised AI solutions tailored to business needs.

The investment in the venture is expected to be significant, potentially reaching 1 trillion yen ($6.77 billion).

SoftBank’s move highlights its commitment to AI infrastructure as demand for advanced computing power grows. The company and OpenAI have not yet commented on the reported plans.

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