SoftBank’s Son calls AI bubble talk ‘blasphemy,’ eyes $6.2T target

Masayoshi Son told shareholders on Wednesday that calling AI a bubble amounts to "blasphemy," as the SoftBank Group founder laid out a plan to grow the Japanese conglomerate's net asset value to 1,000 trillion yen — roughly $6.2 trillion — over the next decade or so.

'It's Just the Beginning'

Speaking at SoftBank Group's 46th annual general meeting in Tokyo on June 24, the 68-year-old CEO pushed back against growing skepticism over sky-high AI valuations. "I think it's blasphemy against AI if you say it's a bubble," Son said, according to Reuters. "It's just the beginning. AI's potential will be unlocked."The Star

Son acknowledged the scale of the 1,000 trillion yen NAV target but said SoftBank has consistently demonstrated its ability to create value. The company's current NAV stands at roughly 40 trillion yen, according to its most recent disclosure. Son has previously described the AI revolution as "50 times bigger" than the dot-com boom, telling CNBC in early June that any market correction would represent "the best investment opportunity."morningstar+3

Four Pillars of Growth

Son outlined four domains in which SoftBank aims to become a global leader: AI models, semiconductors, infrastructure, and robotics. The company is projecting its total investment in OpenAI to reach approximately $64.6 billion by October, according to Kyodo News, as part of a broader push into AI infrastructure that includes commitments to build data centers across the United States and Europe.毎日新聞

"Our physical AI, or robots, has already entered mass production," Son disclosed at the meeting, adding that he anticipated making a formal announcement soon.毎日新聞

No Retirement in Sight

Despite having previously suggested he might step back in his 60s, Son told shareholders he intends to lead SoftBank for another 10 to 15 years to bring about what he calls "artificial superintelligence" — AI that is 10,000 times smarter than a human. "I have no time to retire," he said.The Star+1