SoftBank completes $22.5 billion OpenAI investment

Japanese investment firm fulfills $30 billion commitment through Vision Fund 2, while third-party investors contribute additional $11 billion to reach $41 billion total funding round

SoftBank Group has finalized a $22.5 billion investment in OpenAI through its second funding closing, completing the Japanese investment firm's $30 billion commitment announced in March 2025. The transaction, executed through SoftBank Vision Fund 2, brings the company's total ownership stake in the artificial intelligence developer to approximately 11%.

The investment represents the second portion of SoftBank's commitment, following an initial $7.5 billion allocation in April 2025. Combined with contributions from third-party co-investors totaling $11 billion, the overall funding round reached $41 billion, exceeding the originally targeted $40 billion.

This capital infusion occurs as the generative AI sector experiences heightened competition, particularly following the emergence of DeepSeek-R1, a language model developed in China. The DeepSeek platform has drawn industry attention due to its operational efficiency and lower computational costs compared to existing models, presenting new dynamics in a market previously dominated by Western technology companies.

The completion of this investment round solidifies SoftBank's position as one of OpenAI's largest shareholders. The funding structure involved multiple closings, with the Japanese conglomerate leading both tranches through its Vision Fund 2 vehicle, which focuses on late-stage technology investments.

Third-party participation in the round exceeded initial expectations, with co-investors contributing $11 billion against original projections. This additional capital brought the aggregate commitment above the initially announced $40 billion threshold.

Masayoshi Son, who leads SoftBank Group, stated that the company shares OpenAI's objectives regarding artificial general intelligence development and its potential applications. Sam Altman of OpenAI noted that SoftBank's international presence and operational scale would facilitate the company's expansion and technology deployment efforts.

The investment reflects ongoing capital flows into generative AI companies as organizations seek to develop and commercialize large language models and related technologies. OpenAI, which developed ChatGPT, continues to attract institutional investment as it expands its research capabilities and commercial operations.