SoftBank Group Corp. has sold its entire stake in Nvidia for $5.83 billion, signaling a strategic pivot toward OpenAI and artificial intelligence ventures. The Tokyo-based conglomerate also reported that its profit nearly tripled in the first half of its fiscal year.

SoftBank Profits Surge as AI Focus Deepens

Japanese technology powerhouse SoftBank Group Corp. announced on Tuesday that it sold its Nvidia shares in October for $5.83 billion, marking the end of its investment in the Silicon Valley chipmaker. The sale comes as SoftBank shifts its attention and capital toward OpenAI, a company in which it has invested tens of billions of dollars.

The move coincided with impressive financial results — SoftBank’s profit for April through September surged nearly threefold to 2.5 trillion yen (about $13 billion), with sales rising 7.7% year-on-year to 3.7 trillion yen ($24 billion).

SoftBank’s performance has historically fluctuated due to its broad portfolio managed through its Vision Funds, which have recently seen a turnaround thanks to AI-driven market growth.

Strategic Pivot Toward OpenAI and “Stargate” Project

SoftBank’s founder and CEO Masayoshi Son has been aggressively repositioning the company toward artificial intelligence. Earlier this year, Son joined Donald Trump, OpenAI’s Sam Altman, and Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison to announce a landmark $500 billion AI infrastructure project called “Stargate.”

SoftBank’s investment in OpenAI strengthens this shift, as the two companies plan to expand AI services across Japan and beyond.

“The sale of Nvidia shares frees capital to fund the next phase of AI innovation,” a SoftBank spokesperson said.

Nvidia’s Meteoric Rise and SoftBank’s Profitable Exit

Nvidia recently became the world’s first $5 trillion company, only months after surpassing the $4 trillion mark — a surge driven by explosive demand for AI chips. The timing of SoftBank’s sale likely yielded substantial gains.

Despite the divestment, SoftBank maintains strong ties to Nvidia through various AI-related ventures and portfolio companies that rely on Nvidia technology.

SoftBank also continues to hold investments in Arm Holdings and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) — two leading players in the semiconductor industry benefiting from AI advancements.

Stock Market Reaction and Broader Implications

SoftBank’s shares have nearly doubled in value over the past year, rising another 2% on Tuesday following the announcement. Nvidia shares dipped 1.3% in premarket trading, after a 5.8% jump on Monday.

Analysts say the sale underscores SoftBank’s strategy of “selling high” while redeploying capital toward future growth sectors. “Son’s vision is to position SoftBank as a central player in the AI revolution,” said Tokyo-based market analyst Hiroshi Yamamoto.

The company’s renewed focus on OpenAI and AI infrastructure aligns with Japan’s national ambitions to accelerate technological innovation and reduce dependence on Western cloud and chip providers.

Outlook

With a bolstered balance sheet, soaring profits, and a deepening partnership with OpenAI, SoftBank appears poised to play a pivotal role in the next phase of global AI development. The company’s divestment from Nvidia marks not a retreat from AI, but rather a recalibration of its strategy toward direct influence and innovation in the field.

Source: AP News – Japan’s SoftBank says it has sold its shares in Nvidia for $5.8 billion, turning its focus to OpenAI

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In a major step toward expanding artificial intelligence (AI) services, SoftBank Group and OpenAI announced the creation of a new joint venture called SB OpenAI Japan, a 50-50 partnership aimed at advancing AI technology in Japan. The announcement was made during an event in Tokyo, where SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman presented their collaboration and invited Japanese companies to join their AI revolution.

The Launch of Cristal AI

At the event, Son introduced Cristal, an AI service developed for use in business operations such as planning, marketing, email management, and even analyzing old source codes. He emphasized that Cristal would initially be rolled out across SoftBank’s own companies, including Arm, the semiconductor and software giant, and PayPay, the popular electronic payment service. SoftBank plans to invest $3 billion annually to integrate Cristal into its operations.

Son expressed his excitement about the new AI system, calling it a game-changer for businesses: “This will be super-intelligence for the company. I’m so excited,” he told reporters during the Transforming Business through AI event in Tokyo.

Advancements in AI Research: Deep Research

Altman highlighted Deep Research, a newly introduced feature that enhances ChatGPT’s capabilities by enabling it to perform complex tasks like researching the web and aggregating vast amounts of information far faster than any human could. This feature is set to be available in Japanese to meet the specific needs of the Japanese market.

“This partnership with SoftBank will accelerate our vision for bringing transformative AI to some of the world’s most influential companies, starting with Japan,” Altman said.

The Stargate Project: Expanding AI Infrastructure

In addition to their collaboration, SoftBank, OpenAI, and Oracle are part of the Stargate project, a major initiative supported by President Donald Trump aimed at investing up to $500 billion in AI infrastructure in the United States.

Son announced that Stargate would expand its efforts not only in the U.S. but also into Japan and other global markets, positioning SoftBank and OpenAI at the forefront of AI development worldwide.

Competition from China’s DeepSeek

The announcement comes as the global tech industry is buzzing over the recent rise of DeepSeek, a Chinese company claiming to have developed low-cost but highly intelligent AI. This development adds a layer of competition to the AI landscape, highlighting the global race to innovate in the field.

Conclusion

The formation of SB OpenAI Japan marks a significant milestone in the partnership between SoftBank and OpenAI. With the introduction of Cristal and Deep Research, both companies aim to revolutionize how businesses in Japan—and beyond—integrate AI technology into their operations. As part of their broader Stargate project, SoftBank and OpenAI are set to lead the charge in AI innovation, with the potential to reshape industries across the globe.

Source

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