SoftBank Group has announced a landmark $4 billion acquisition of DigitalBridge, a digital infrastructure investor, marking a significant strategic shift toward controlling the physical backbone of artificial intelligence. The deal, announced by SoftBank chairman and CEO Masayoshi Son, represents the Japanese conglomerate’s aggressive bet on owning the data centers, connectivity infrastructure, and power systems essential for supporting AI at a global scale.
The acquisition comes at a critical juncture as competition for computing resources intensifies across the AI industry. Son emphasized the strategic rationale, stating that “as AI transforms industries worldwide, we need more compute, connectivity, power, and scalable infrastructure.” This move positions SoftBank to capitalize on the exponential growth in AI computing demands as companies worldwide race to deploy large language models and other AI applications.
DigitalBridge will maintain operational independence following the transaction, continuing as a separately managed platform under the leadership of CEO Marc Ganzi. The deal is expected to close in the second half of 2026, pending regulatory approvals from relevant authorities.
The acquisition aligns with SoftBank’s broader portfolio reshuffling in the AI space. In November, the company disclosed it had divested nearly $6 billion worth of Nvidia stock, a move that raised eyebrows given Nvidia’s dominance in AI chip manufacturing. SoftBank’s CFO Yoshimitsu Goto clarified that the decision had “nothing to do with Nvidia itself” but was instead a strategic reallocation of capital toward OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT.
SoftBank is committing heavily to OpenAI, with plans to complete the final portion of its massive $30 billion investment by year-end. This represents one of the largest single investments in an AI company to date.
The DigitalBridge deal exemplifies SoftBank’s focus on “physical AI” — a term the company uses to describe the real-world infrastructure required to integrate artificial intelligence into everyday life. This includes not just data centers and cloud computing resources, but also robotics, edge computing facilities, and the power generation capacity needed to support energy-intensive AI workloads. As AI models grow larger and more computationally demanding, control over this physical infrastructure could prove strategically valuable.
Key Quotes
As AI transforms industries worldwide, we need more compute, connectivity, power, and scalable infrastructure.
Masayoshi Son, SoftBank’s chairman and CEO, articulated the strategic rationale for the DigitalBridge acquisition, emphasizing the critical infrastructure requirements driving the AI revolution and justifying the $4 billion investment.
nothing to do with Nvidia itself
CFO Yoshimitsu Goto explained SoftBank’s controversial decision to sell nearly $6 billion in Nvidia stock, clarifying that the divestment was purely a capital reallocation strategy to fund the company’s massive OpenAI investment rather than a lack of confidence in Nvidia’s AI chip business.
Our Take
SoftBank’s dual strategy of investing heavily in OpenAI while simultaneously acquiring physical infrastructure reveals a sophisticated understanding of the AI value chain. The company is essentially hedging its bets across multiple layers — from cutting-edge AI models to the unglamorous but essential data centers that power them. This approach could prove more resilient than pure-play investments in either software or hardware alone.
The timing is particularly notable as energy constraints and data center capacity are emerging as real limitations on AI development. By controlling DigitalBridge’s infrastructure assets, SoftBank gains leverage in negotiations with AI companies desperate for computing resources. However, the $4 billion price tag and extended 2026 closing timeline suggest regulatory scrutiny may be significant, particularly given concerns about infrastructure consolidation and potential monopolistic control over AI resources.
Why This Matters
This acquisition signals a fundamental shift in how major investors are approaching the AI boom. Rather than simply betting on AI software companies or chip manufacturers, SoftBank is positioning itself to control the essential infrastructure layer that all AI applications depend upon. This strategy could prove prescient as data center capacity and power availability become critical bottlenecks in AI development.
The deal also highlights the massive capital requirements of the AI revolution, extending far beyond model development into physical infrastructure. As AI workloads consume exponentially more electricity and computing resources, companies that control data centers, power systems, and connectivity infrastructure may capture significant value.
For the broader AI industry, SoftBank’s move could accelerate consolidation in the infrastructure space and potentially give the conglomerate leverage over AI companies that need computing resources. The simultaneous investment in OpenAI and physical infrastructure suggests SoftBank is building a vertically integrated AI ecosystem, controlling both the software and hardware layers of the AI stack.