Masayoshi Son Has Sought $100 Billion for AI Fund
SoftBank aims to scale AI operations through a massive new capital injection from Gulf investors.
Updated on Oct. 9, 2026 in Artificial Intelligence
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SoftBank founder Masayoshi Son has held discussions with investors in the Gulf region regarding a potential $100 billion fundraising effort. The capital is intended to establish a new fund focused on acquiring and improving companies using artificial intelligence.
Why it matters
This fundraising push signals SoftBank's strategy to aggressively scale its influence in the artificial intelligence sector. It follows significant previous capital deployments, including a $65 billion investment in OpenAI.
SoftBank recently raised $11 billion through a junk bond offering at a 9.75 percent yield. This follows historical gains of $29 billion from the first Vision Fund and $20.5 billion from Vision Fund 2 as of June 2026.
The players
Masayoshi Son
Founder and CEO of SoftBank who has consistently deployed multibillion-dollar capital pools to gain early exposure to technology and AI firms.
SoftBank
A global conglomerate with a large tech-focused investment stack including Arm, and a history of high-stakes bets in startups like OpenAI.
Anthropic
An AI research and deployment lab that is expected to initiate a public offering in the coming weeks.
The details
SoftBank typically finances its ventures through a combination of capital raises and borrowing secured by its stake in Arm and other holdings. The proposed fund would focus on identifying companies where AI-driven operational improvements could enhance overall value. This approach builds on previous high-profile portfolio moves, though the firm maintains a lean loan-to-value ratio of 13 percent as of June 2026.
Timeline
2017: Gulf investors backed SoftBank's first $100 billion Vision Fund.
Late 2023: WeWork filed for bankruptcy.
June 2026: End of period for reported fund gains and asset values.
September 2026: SoftBank completed an $11 billion junk bond offering.
Coming weeks: Anthropic is expected to launch an IPO.
The Tech Race
This effort represents a potential return to the mega-fund model established by the 2017 SoftBank Vision Fund. It signals that SoftBank is pivoting its investment strategy toward AI-specific operational transformation to maintain its market position.
This development primarily affects the private equity and AI startup landscape, as it could inject significant capital into firms looking to modernize operations. For individual users, the outcome will be reflected in the pace at which AI integrations reach the market through companies SoftBank elects to acquire.
The takeaway
SoftBank's aggressive pursuit of capital confirms that institutional demand for AI-centric assets remains high despite historical market volatility. Investors and observers should watch for the upcoming Anthropic IPO, which will serve as a bellwether for the valuation climate in the AI sector.
Further reading
For broader context on the industry's investment trends, see our coverage of Artificial Intelligence.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Financial Times News.
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