Japan's SoftBank plans to invest nearly USD 9 billion in artificial intelligence (AI), according to media reports. Over the past 12 months, the tech giant has more than doubled its outlay for investments and commitments to USD 8.9 billion, signaling a major push in AI development.
SoftBank faces intense competition in the AI space from tech giants like Microsoft, Amazon, and Google, which have collectively invested billions in AI initiatives. Microsoft and Amazon alone have committed over USD 40 billion combined to AI-related projects worldwide this year, with significant investments planned for countries including France, Germany, Japan, and Singapore.
This move follows a statement from SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son last year, predicting that artificial general intelligence (AGI) would surpass human intelligence by the end of the decade. "Take advantage of it or be left behind," Son warned.
The drive to invest heavily in AI infrastructure globally is aimed at meeting the rising demand for AI technologies and ensuring data security and faster processing times through localized data centers.
