SoftBank Group is reportedly seeking a loan of up to $40 billion to support its expanding investment in artificial intelligence company OpenAI, according to reports citing sources familiar with the discussions. The financing is expected to take the form of a 12-month bridge loan, with a group of lenders led by JPMorgan underwriting the facility.
The proposed financing reflects SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son’s aggressive strategy to increase the company’s exposure to the rapidly growing AI sector. SoftBank already held an estimated 11% stake in OpenAI at the end of last year and has continued to deepen its investment as demand for advanced AI models accelerates.
The discussions with banks remain ongoing and the final terms of the loan could still change. The financing effort follows OpenAI’s recent plans to raise $110 billion in new funding, a round that could value the company at $840 billion and include major investments from SoftBank, Nvidia, and Amazon as the company prepares groundwork for a potential future public offering.
