Ever since the AI race picked up the pace, we have been witnessing some landmark investments within the industry. SoftBank, a major Japanese multinational conglomerate headquartered in Tokyo, has been among the most popular names involved in such investments. Earlier this month, there were reports hinting that Soft Bank is coming together with NVIDIA to invest at least $15 billion into Skild AI, which is already a well-funded startup that makes foundation models for robots.
SoftBank boosts its AI Strategy with DigitalBridge acquisition
Well, SoftBank Group is yet again in the spotlight. This time, the Japanese multinational conglomerate has made a major move into AI infrastructure with the announcement of acquiring data center investment firm DigitalBridge. The said deal is valued at $4 billion and allows SoftBank to acquire all the outstanding common stock of DigitalBridge for $16 per share in cash, representing a 15% premium over the company’s closing price on December 26.
According to a report by CNBC, the transaction has been unanimously approved by a special committee of DigitalBridge’s board and is expected to close in the second half of 2026. Speaking on the matter, SoftBank Group CEO and Chairman, Masayoshi Son, said that the acquisition will “strengthen the foundation for next-generation AI data centers” and advance the company’s vision to become a top provider of what it calls an “Artificial Super Intelligence” platform. “As AI transforms industries worldwide, we need more compute, connectivity, power, and scalable infrastructure,” Son added while talking about the importance of expanding SoftBank’s AI capabilities.
The news comes at a time when AI infrastructure investments are booming, thanks to companies racing to build the computing power necessary for advanced AI apps. For the uninitiated, DigitalBridge has $108 billion in assets under management and says that it is capable of supporting large-scale technology deployments.
DigitalBridge is optimistic about this deal
Speaking about the acquisition, DigitalBridge CEO Marc Ganzi said, “Their vision, capital strength, and global network will allow us to accelerate our mission with greater flexibility, invest with a longer-term horizon on behalf of our investors, and better serve the world’s leading technology companies as they scale their AI ambitions.” SoftBank, meanwhile, has also been working on its portfolio with an increased focus on AI.
With the latest acquisition, SoftBank appears to be taking a position where it stands as a major global player in the rapidly growing AI sector. What about the goal, you may ask, right? Well, to ensure that its infrastructure can meet the demands of technology companies as AI adoption accelerates.
