SoftBank and OpenAI Form SB OpenAI Japan to Develop AI Services

• Formation of SB OpenAI Japan: SoftBank Group and OpenAI have announced the formation of a joint venture named SB OpenAI Japan, with each party holding a 50% stake. This partnership aims to promote AI services within Japan, initially focusing on SoftBank’s subsidiaries before expanding to other major Japanese companies.
• Annual Investment Commitment: SoftBank has pledged to invest $3 billion annually to incorporate OpenAI’s technologies across its group companies, including Arm Holdings and PayPay. This substantial investment underscores SoftBank’s dedication to leveraging AI to enhance productivity and innovation within its operations.
• Introduction of Cristal Intelligence: The joint venture will deploy a suite of AI tools branded as “Cristal intelligence.” These tools encompass OpenAI’s ChatGPT Enterprise, APIs, custom models, and agent products like Operator, designed to automate tasks such as vacation planning and form completion. The system aims to revolutionize business operations by automating everyday tasks and boosting productivity.
• Focus on Artificial General Intelligence (AGI): SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son expressed his belief that Artificial General Intelligence (AGI)—AI systems capable of performing tasks at a human level—will become a reality within the next decade. He emphasized that achieving AGI requires significant financial resources, which are currently accessible primarily to large enterprises.
• Stargate Project Collaboration: In addition to the joint venture, SoftBank, OpenAI, and Oracle have initiated the Stargate project, a massive AI infrastructure endeavor in the U.S. The project plans to invest up to $500 billion over four years to develop AI capabilities, with SoftBank committing $15 billion to this initiative.

Why This Matters: This partnership signifies a major advancement in the integration of AI into enterprise operations, particularly within Japan. SoftBank’s substantial investment and collaboration with OpenAI are poised to accelerate the development and deployment of AI technologies, potentially leading to significant productivity gains and innovation across various industries. The focus on AGI highlights the ambition to push the boundaries of current AI capabilities, aiming for systems that can perform tasks at a human level.