SoftBank approves remaining $22.5B OpenAI investment: Report
SoftBank has approved the remaining $22.5bn to complete a $30bn commitment to OpenAI, The Information has reported. The sign‑off is contingent on a restructuring that would enable an eventual IPO.
SoftBank Group has approved a final $22.5B instalment to complete its planned $30B investment in OpenAI, The Information has reported, with the sign-off tied to OpenAI completing a corporate restructuring that would enable a future public offering.
The instalment forms part of a wider multi‑billion-dollar financing set out earlier this year.
The approval is contingent on OpenAI shifting its structure to facilitate a listing — a move described by The Information as part of a transition toward a public benefit corporation — and aligning economics across its entities.
SoftBank previously set out that if such “funding conditions” are not met by the end of 2025 (or, in some scenarios, early 2026), its overall commitment would fall to $20B, rather than the full $30B.
SoftBank has already committed $10B, with a second closing targeted for December 2025 under the same framework. Reports indicated the OpenAI raise has totalled about $41B across investors, while valuing OpenAI at roughly $260B.
SoftBank’s founder and CEO, Masayoshi Son, articulated a push to lead in “artificial super intelligence” and positioned OpenAI as a central partner within that strategy.
OpenAI’s CEO Sam Altman has, in recent weeks, pursued additional partnerships and funding discussions to expand the company’s AI infrastructure across Asia and the Middle East.