SoftBank’s Son predicts 1 billion humanoid robots by 2040

SoftBank Group Chairman and CEO Masayoshi Son predicted on Tuesday that one billion AI-powered humanoid robots will be in operation by 2040, as he dismissed concerns about an AI bubble as "absurd" and called for $5 trillion in annual global investment to support the technology's growth.

A Sweeping Vision for AI's Future

Speaking at a corporate conference in Tokyo on July 14, Son outlined a future in which humanoid robots replace humans as the primary source of physical labor within roughly 15 years. He forecast that the humanoid robot market alone would reach 7,000 trillion yen, representing about one-fifth of global GDP. Son also predicted an "AI agent economy" in which 100 trillion autonomous AI agents communicate with each other and work continuously.biz.chosun+2

"For the first time, humanoid robots will take the main role in physical labor, replacing humans," Son told attendees, according to NHK.nhk

Son estimated that $5 trillion in annual investment in AI infrastructure — including data centers, electricity, and semiconductors — would be needed globally by 2040. He predicted AI would account for 20 percent of global GDP by that date.reuters+1

Dismissing Bubble Talk

The SoftBank chief ridiculed critics who have questioned whether AI investment has become overheated, according to the Financial Times. Reuters reported that Son called talk of a bubble "absurd," even as his company has poured tens of billions of dollars into data centers, robotics, and OpenAI.ft+1

The predictions come as SoftBank has accelerated its AI investments, positioning itself at the center of the global push to build out AI infrastructure. The company has committed to major data center projects and deepened its ties to leading AI companies, betting that the technology will reshape the global economy on a scale Son compared to 50 times the size of the dot-com boom.instagram

Context and Scale

Son's forecast of one billion humanoid robots would represent roughly one robot for every ten people on Earth by 2040, underscoring the scale of transformation he envisions. The projection places him among the most bullish voices in the technology industry on the pace of AI-driven automation, at a time when companies across manufacturing, healthcare, and logistics are experimenting with early-stage humanoid systems.