SoftBank in talks to invest up to US$30bil more in OpenAI

2026-01-28 - 02:51

SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son invested US$41 billion in OpenAI last year, securing the Japanese group an estimated 11% stake. (EPA Images pic) TOKYO: SoftBank is in discussions to invest up to an additional US$30 billion in OpenAI, a person familiar with the matter told Reuters on Tuesday. The investment would form part of a funding round that could raise up to US$100 billion for OpenAI, valuing the ChatGPT maker at about US$830 billion, the source added. The Wall Street Journal first reported the news. SoftBank and OpenAI did not immediately respond to Reuters’ requests for a comment on the WSJ report. Last year, Masayoshi Son-led SoftBank completed a US$41 billion investment in OpenAI, marking one of the largest private funding rounds on record and giving the Japanese firm an estimated 11% stake in the ChatGPT maker.