SoftBank Group has initiated a significant step in its ambitions for AI infrastructure by announcing a $4 billion acquisition of DigitalBridge Group, a firm that specializes in managing digital infrastructure assets such as data centers, towers, and fiber networks. This move is aimed at enhancing SoftBank’s strategy to lead in global AI infrastructure.
The acquisition is part of SoftBank’s broader mission to achieve what it describes as Artificial Super Intelligence (ASI), which aims to surpass current AI capabilities. SoftBank highlights that realizing this vision necessitates substantial advancements in both AI models and the underlying infrastructure essential for training, deploying, and servicing AI technologies at scale.
By acquiring DigitalBridge, SoftBank plans to bolster its resources for constructing and financing the necessary infrastructure that supports next-generation AI applications. The company has been making massive investments in AI initiatives, notably through its ambitious Project Stargate, a $500 billion endeavor focused on developing hyperscale data centers and advanced computing capabilities. Despite facing challenges in execution, SoftBank has already earmarked $342 billion for this project over the next four years.
Earlier acquisitions, including a $6.5 billion deal for Ampere Computing, have positioned SoftBank as a formidable player in the Arm-based server market, a crucial sector for AI workloads. In 2024, the firm expanded its portfolio with the acquisition of Graphcore, a notable AI chip designer, in addition to investments in companies like OpenAI and Nvidia.
The surge in AI and machine learning workloads has propelled global investments in data centers to unprecedented heights. Major hyperscalers, including AWS, Google, Microsoft, and Oracle, are investing heavily to expand their infrastructure in response to skyrocketing computing demands.
Notably, Oracle secured a $300 billion contract to cover OpenAI’s cloud computing requirements—marking a historic agreement in the cloud market. According to projections from UBS, global AI spending is anticipated to reach $375 billion in 2025, increasing to $500 billion in 2026, and eventually surpassing $3 trillion by 2030. This surge encompasses the necessary investments in AI data centers, power generation, and resource allocation.
With DigitalBridge’s expertise in managing and scaling digital infrastructure, SoftBank aims to accelerate its infrastructure build-out, ensuring it remains at the forefront of the growing AI landscape.
