SoftBank seeks up to $100 billion from Gulf investors for AI push, FT reports


Softbank Group’s logo at its headquarters in Tokyo, Japan, September 1, 2026. REUTERS/Manami Yamada

Oct 9 (Reuters) - SoftBank ⁠Group CEOMasayoshi Son is seeking to ⁠raise up to $100 billion from Gulf ‌investors to fund a new wave of AI investments, the Financial Times reported on Friday, citing people ​familiar with the matter.

Son has ⁠held discussions in ⁠recent weeks with senior figures, including in the ⁠United ‌Arab Emirates, about the potential fundraising, the report said.

Reuters couldn't immediately ⁠verify the report. SoftBank did not ​respond to ‌a request for comment.

The move comes as ⁠Son ramps ​up AI bets, with the company announcinglast week that it completed its $30 billion investment ⁠in OpenAI as part of ​its commitment to the ChatGPT maker's last fundraising round.

SoftBank also raised $11.1 billionlast month in the ⁠largest high-yield corporate bond sale globally to fund its mammoth bet on OpenAI.

The Japanese investment conglomerate would use the proceeds to ​establish a fund that ⁠would acquire companies and improve their operations ​using AI and other ‌advanced technologies, according to the ​report.

(Reporting by Disha Mishra in Bengaluru; Editing by Mrigank Dhaniwala and HarikrishnanNair)

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