March 27: SoftBank Group announced it has secured a $40 billion bridge loan to support investments in OpenAI and for general corporate use. The unsecured loan, maturing in March 2027, was arranged with major lenders including JPMorgan Chase, Goldman Sachs, and Mizuho Bank.
The move highlights SoftBank's continued focus on artificial intelligence, following its previous $30 billion investment in OpenAI through its Vision Fund 2. OpenAI, backed by Microsoft, has become a leading force in generative AI after the success of ChatGPT.
SoftBank's aggressive AI strategy comes after years of fluctuating performance in its Vision Fund. The company also partnered with OpenAI on the Stargate Project, aiming to invest up to $500 billion in U.S. AI infrastructure over four years.