Key takeaways SoftBank has completed a $41 billion investment in OpenAI, securing an 11% stake in the ChatGPT maker in one of the largest private funding rounds on record. The Japanese conglomerate se...
SoftBank Group announced Wednesday that it has completed its commitment to invest $41 billion in OpenAI, marking one of the most significant private capital raises in technology history.
The investment gives the Japanese investment giant approximately 11% ownership in the artificial intelligence company behind ChatGPT.
The final payment of $22.5 billion was transferred on December 26, according to sources familiar with the matter.
This follows an initial $7.5 billion investment completed in April 2025 through SoftBank Vision Fund 2. The total funding package also includes an expanded syndicated co-investment of $11 billion from other third-party backers.
"We are deeply aligned with OpenAI's vision of ensuring AGI benefits all of humanity," said Masayoshi Son, Chairman and CEO of SoftBank Group, in an official statement.
AGI refers to artificial general intelligence, a theoretical future stage of AI where machines could match or exceed human capabilities across diverse tasks.
Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, emphasized the strategic importance of the partnership. "SoftBank saw the potential of AI early and committed with a deep belief in its impact on humanity," Altman stated.
"Their global leadership and scale help us move faster and bring advanced intelligence to the world."
The funding comes as SoftBank and OpenAI collaborate on major AI infrastructure initiatives. The two companies, along with Oracle, are leading partners in the $500 billion Stargate project to build AI infrastructure across the United States.
President Donald Trump announced the initiative in January 2025.
OpenAI has committed to more than $1.4 trillion in infrastructure investments over the coming years, including agreements with major chipmakers Nvidia, Advanced Micro Devices, and Broadcom.
The massive capital requirements reflect the computing demands of training and deploying advanced AI models.
The deal valued OpenAI at approximately $300 billion on a post-money basis when SoftBank's commitment was first announced in March 2025.
However, a secondary share sale completed in October valued the company at around $500 billion, according to data from Pitchbook, making OpenAI one of the world's most valuable private companies.
The OpenAI investment represents the centerpiece of SoftBank founder Masayoshi Son's aggressive pivot toward artificial intelligence.
To finance the deal, SoftBank liquidated its entire $5.8 billion stake in Nvidia last month and sold significant holdings in T-Mobile US. The company also implemented internal cost cuts and staff reductions.
This week, SoftBank announced plans to acquire DigitalBridge Group, a data center investment firm, in a deal valued at approximately $4 billion.
The acquisition underscores SoftBank's broader strategy to secure critical infrastructure that supports AI development and deployment.
Microsoft remains OpenAI's largest shareholder, holding a 27% stake valued at roughly $135 billion following its $13.8 billion cumulative investment since 2019.
The tech giant's partnership with OpenAI has become central to its AI strategy, with OpenAI's models powering Microsoft's Copilot products and other AI-enhanced services.
OpenAI is reportedly preparing for an initial public offering and has been exploring additional funding, including a potential investment of more than $10 billion from Amazon.
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