SoftBank secures $40 billion loan to boost OpenAI investments

SoftBank secures $40 billion bridge loan to deepen OpenAI ties and scale AI investments, signalling an aggressive push in the global generative AI race

SoftBank Group said on Friday it has secured a $40 ​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 $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 $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 $100 billion in ​AI and related infrastructure in the U.S. over four years.