SoftBank secures US$40 billion loan to boost OpenAI investments

SoftBank Group said on Friday it has secured a US$40 billion (HK$313.5 billion) bridge loan to bolster investments in ChatGPT-maker OpenAI and for general corporate purposes, marking another significant step in its artificial intelligence strategy.

The Japanese investment conglomerate, led by founder Masayoshi Son, continues to strengthen ties with OpenAI as global tech firms race to gain an edge in the increasingly competitive generative AI space.

The Japanese investor has previously agreed to invest US$30 billion in OpenAI through its Vision Fund 2. The bridge loan is unsecured, the company said.

The loan, which matures in March 2027, was arranged with lenders including JPMorgan Chase, Goldman Sachs, Mizuho Bank, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corp and MUFG Bank.

OpenAI, backed by Microsoft, has emerged as a leading player following the widespread adoption of ChatGPT, prompting a surge in investment across the sector.

The loan underscores Son’s increasingly aggressive bet on AI following years when SoftBank swung between outsized gains and heavy Vision Fund losses.

SoftBank and OpenAI were among the companies behind the Stargate Project last year, which said it aimed to invest up to US$500 billion over four years to build AI infrastructure in the United States.

Son and then President-elect Donald Trump announced in December 2024 that SoftBank planned to invest US$100 billion in AI and related infrastructure in the US over four years.

Reuters