Mumbai, January 28: SoftBank Group Corp is reportedly in advanced discussions to invest an additional USD 30 billion in OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT. According to a report by the Wall Street Journal on Tuesday, January 27, 2026, this fresh capital injection would be part of a broader funding round aimed at raising up to USD 100 billion for the artificial intelligence startup. If finalised, the deal would propel OpenAI’s valuation to approximately USD 830 billion.

The move marks a significant escalation in Chief Executive Masayoshi Son’s "all-in" strategy regarding generative AI. This potential investment follows SoftBank’s completion of a USD 41 billion investment in OpenAI just last month, which secured the Japanese conglomerate an 11% stake in the company. Following the news, SoftBank shares rose 3.5% during morning trade in Tokyo, although the company has declined to officially comment on the negotiations. US and UAE Reaffirm Support for IMEC Corridor and AI Cooperation; UAE Commits USD 1.4 Trillion Investment in United States Over Next Decade

SoftBank AI Investment Strategy

Masayoshi Son’s aggressive pursuit of OpenAI comes at a time when SoftBank has narrowed its focus, slowing down other dealmaking within its Vision Fund to concentrate resources on the AI sector. To marshal the billions required for previous stakes, Son reportedly pivoted the group’s entire investment philosophy to ensure SoftBank remains a dominant player in the global AI race.

The partnership extends beyond direct equity, as both SoftBank and OpenAI are key investors in "Stargate." This USD 500 billion initiative is designed to build massive AI data centres for model training and inference. Industry executives view Stargate as a critical component of the United States’ efforts to maintain a technological lead over China in the development of advanced artificial intelligence infrastructure.

OpenAI Valuation and Competition

OpenAI requires vast amounts of capital to sustain its operations as the costs of training and running sophisticated large language models continue to climb. The company faces intensifying competition from Alphabet’s Google and other tech giants, who are rapidly integrating AI into their core products. The proposed USD 100 billion funding round would provide OpenAI with the necessary liquidity to develop next-generation models and manage the immense computing power required for global deployment. Meta Platforms Spends USD 6.4 Million on Ad Campaign To Win Support for AI Data Centres Amid Growing Public Backlash.

For SoftBank, a further USD 30 billion commitment would solidify its role as one of the most influential backers of the AI revolution. However, the scale of the investment also highlights the high-stakes nature of Son’s gamble, as the conglomerate ties its future growth almost exclusively to the success and scalability of OpenAI’s technology in an increasingly crowded and expensive market.

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(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 28, 2026 08:53 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).