Masayoshi Son Has Sought $100 Billion Fund
SoftBank founder is reportedly engaging Gulf investors to finance a new initiative focused on AI technology.
Updated on Oct. 9, 2026 in Artificial Intelligence
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SoftBank founder Masayoshi Son has held recent discussions in the United Arab Emirates to raise $100 billion. The capital would establish a fund dedicated to acquiring companies to enhance their operations through artificial intelligence.
Why it matters
The fundraising effort aims to scale up SoftBank's artificial intelligence portfolio, which already includes a $65 billion investment in OpenAI. This move follows a period of heavy investment and strategic shifts within the firm.
SoftBank recently raised $11 billion through a junk bond offering with a 9.75 percent yield. Cumulative investment gains stand at $29 billion for the first Vision Fund and $20.5 billion for Vision Fund 2 as of June 2026.
The players
Masayoshi Son
He is the founder and CEO of SoftBank Group who is known for his aggressive investment approach in the technology sector.
SoftBank
This is a Japanese multinational investment holding company that specializes in technology and artificial intelligence investments.
OpenAI
This is an artificial intelligence research organization that has received significant capital backing from SoftBank.
Anthropic
This is an artificial intelligence startup that is currently preparing for an initial public offering.
The details
SoftBank finances its aggressive investment strategy through a mix of fundraising and borrowing, leveraging its stake in Arm and other holdings. The company continues to evolve its portfolio despite historical challenges, such as the bankruptcy of WeWork in late 2023.
Timeline
Gulf investors backed the first Vision Fund in 2017.
WeWork filed for bankruptcy in late 2023.
SoftBank reported net asset values as of June 2026.
A junk bond offering was completed in September 2026.
Anthropic is expected to launch an IPO in the coming weeks.
The Tech Race
This fundraising effort follows the precedent established by the 2017 $100 billion Vision Fund. It signals a continued push by major investment firms to dominate the artificial intelligence sector through massive capital deployment.
For the average user, this massive influx of capital could accelerate the integration of AI tools into daily workflows and consumer applications. Continued investment in companies like OpenAI and Anthropic suggests a rapid pace of innovation for tools that influence productivity and creative processes.
The takeaway
SoftBank continues to rely on high-stakes capital cycles to maintain its position at the forefront of the AI boom. Investors should monitor how these large-scale funds influence the broader software market as more AI companies move toward public listings.
What happens next
Anthropic is expected to launch its initial public offering in the coming weeks, a milestone that may provide further insight into the valuation of leading AI firms.
Further reading
Learn more about the latest developments in the field of Artificial Intelligence.
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