EU to Propose New Rules Limiting Children's Access to Social Media 
LG Energy Solution Q2 Profit Plunges 77% Despite Revenue Growth on Weak EV Demand 
Deutsche Bank Fined A$2 Million by ASIC Over OTC Derivatives Reporting Errors 
Samsung Q2 Profit Hits Record on AI Memory Boom as Shares Tumble 
Nvidia Invests $500M in Firmus Technologies Ahead of Planned ASX IPO 
SK Hynix Shares Drop After Strong Nasdaq Debut Despite $26 Billion ADR Listing 
DOJ Grand Jury Investigates UAW President Shawn Fain Ahead of Union Election 
Morgan Stanley Says China’s Reusable Rocket Progress Poses Long-Term Challenge to SpaceX 
Zhipu AI Raises HK$31.37 Billion in Discounted Share Sale to Accelerate AI Growth 
Nippon Paint Reportedly Offers Up to €7.5 Billion for Akzo Nobel Decorative Paints Business 
Meta Says States Seek $1.4 Trillion in Penalties Over Teen Social Media Addiction Lawsuit 
SK Hynix Soars 13% in Nasdaq Debut After Record $26.5 Billion IPO 
Muji Owner Ryohin Keikaku Stock Soars After Raising Full-Year Earnings Forecast 
Stellantis Q2 Vehicle Shipments Rise 10% as North America Drives Growth 
Levi Strauss Raises 2026 Outlook After Q2 Earnings Beat, Shares Drop Despite Strong Results 
Morgan Stanley Names Marks & Spencer Top European Retail Pick, Sees Strong Upside 
Oppenheimer Sees CNH Industrial as Top 2026 Agriculture Stock Pick on Dealer Consolidation Strategy 
SoftBank Group has officially completed a massive $41 billion investment in OpenAI, marking one of the largest private funding rounds in global technology history. The deal gives the Japanese conglomerate an estimated 11% stake in the company behind ChatGPT, further solidifying SoftBank’s aggressive push into artificial intelligence and related digital infrastructure.
The investment reflects SoftBank founder and Chief Executive Masayoshi Son’s long-standing vision that artificial intelligence will redefine the global economy. Son has described his strategy as an “all in” bet on AI, focusing not only on leading AI developers like OpenAI but also on the massive computing infrastructure required to support next-generation models. Demand for data centers, cloud computing, and advanced chips has surged as AI adoption accelerates across industries.
According to SoftBank, the company completed an additional $22.5 billion investment this week, following a $7.5 billion contribution made in April. OpenAI also secured an upsized syndicated co-investment of $11 billion from other backers, highlighting strong investor confidence in the company’s long-term growth. In March, SoftBank had agreed to invest up to $40 billion into a for-profit subsidiary of OpenAI, structuring the deal through a mix of direct capital and syndicated financing.
The funding valued OpenAI at approximately $300 billion on a post-money basis at the time of the agreement. However, a subsequent secondary share sale completed in October reportedly pushed OpenAI’s valuation closer to $500 billion, according to PitchBook data. CNBC was the first outlet to report the completion of the funding round.
SoftBank’s OpenAI investment comes shortly after it announced a separate $4 billion deal to acquire DigitalBridge Group, a digital infrastructure investor, reinforcing its broader strategy to dominate AI-driven infrastructure. OpenAI is also a key participant in the planned “Stargate” project, a large-scale, multi-year data center initiative involving partners such as Oracle and other major stakeholders.
As artificial intelligence continues to reshape global technology markets in 2025, SoftBank’s bold investment positions it at the center of the AI boom, with OpenAI emerging as a cornerstone of the industry’s rapid expansion.
