Masayoshi Son has spent years arguing that artificial intelligence will redefine the global economy. With its planned $4 billion acquisition of DigitalBridge, SoftBank is moving that thesis out of speeches and into balance-sheet reality, signaling that the path to advanced AI runs through physical infrastructure as much as software.
The transaction represents a strategic escalation in SoftBank’s AI posture. Instead of concentrating solely on models, applications, or venture exposure, the group is targeting the underlying systems that allow AI to scale data centers, networks, and long-duration capital. In an environment where compute access is becoming a limiting factor, infrastructure ownership is emerging as a competitive differentiator.
That logic sits at the core of SoftBank’s pursuit of Artificial Super Intelligence. Training and operating next-generation AI systems demands more than algorithmic progress; it requires resilient power, dense compute, and financing structures built for global deployment. DigitalBridge’s specialization in managing and expanding digital infrastructure gives SoftBank a practical mechanism to support that ambition.
The Acquisition Focuses on AI Infrastructure
DigitalBridge specializes in owning and operating digital infrastructure, including data centers, fiber networks, and cell towers. As a result, the firm adds operational depth to SoftBank’s AI portfolio. With this deal, SoftBank moves closer to managing the full lifecycle of AI infrastructure, from financing to deployment.
At the same time, the acquisition reduces SoftBank’s reliance on third-party operators. By internalizing infrastructure expertise, the company gains more control over where AI workloads run and how data moves across networks. In today’s AI market, that control is becoming a strategic asset.
Part of a Larger AI Infrastructure Bet
This transaction builds on a series of high-profile AI investments. SoftBank’s Project Stargate, a planned $500 billion initiative to develop hyperscale data centers and advanced compute platforms, sits at the center of that strategy. The company has already committed $342 billion to the project over the next four years, despite ongoing execution challenges.
Earlier this year, SoftBank acquired Ampere Computing for $6.5 billion, strengthening its position in Arm-based server processors. Combined with its ownership of Arm Holdings and its investments in Graphcore, OpenAI, and Nvidia, SoftBank is assembling an increasingly integrated AI stack.
Ultimately, the DigitalBridge acquisition reinforces SoftBank’s view that AI leadership will be decided by infrastructure control. Models can be replicated and software evolves quickly. Data centers, networks, and capital structures do not. By moving upstream, SoftBank is positioning itself where competitive advantages tend to last the longest.
