softbank / masayoshi son / ai revolution

SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son told CNBC that the AI revolution could be roughly 50 times the scale of the early-2000s internet bubble, calling it the largest technological transformation in history. The comments coincided with SoftBank’s announcement of a €75 billion investment in AI infrastructure in France, including a planned 5 GW total capacity of AI data centers and 3.1 GW deployed in Hauts-de-France by 2031. Son said the deal will rely mainly on project financing and mirror US-scale projects, noted OpenAI and Arm stakes in SoftBank’s portfolio, and predicted strong prospects for OpenAI and Europe as an AI hub. The news lifted SoftBank shares about 14% on the day.

SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son told CNBC that the AI revolution will be roughly 50 times larger than the dot-com boom, arguing artificial intelligence will transform industries, create vast new markets and drive investment opportunities. Son — a longtime tech investor known for the Vision Fund — frames AI as a foundational shift that will reshape software, hardware, services and the global economy, prompting increased capital deployment and startup creation. His comments matter because SoftBank’s funding strategy and market influence can accelerate AI commercialization, influence valuations and set priorities for infrastructure and chip investments across the tech sector.