Japan’s SoftBank Group posted a net profit of 248.6 billion yen ($1.62 billion) for the October–December quarter, marking its fourth consecutive quarterly gain, driven largely by the rising valuation of its investment in OpenAI. The tech investment giant had reported a net loss of 369 billion yen in the same period a year earlier. The turnaround highlights the growing impact of artificial intelligence-related investments on SoftBank’s earnings.
SoftBank’s results were supported by the surge in valuation of ChatGPT-maker OpenAI, where the conglomerate has invested more than $30 billion and built an estimated 11 per cent stake. Founder Masayoshi Son has doubled down on AI, positioning the company aggressively in the race among large language model developers.
However, the strategy has raised concerns among investors about overexposure to a single high-growth firm. Analysts surveyed by LSEG had projected wide-ranging outcomes for the quarter, from a profit of 1.1 trillion yen to a loss of 480 billion yen.
As SoftBank deepens its AI push, it has also taken on additional debt, underscoring its high-stakes bet on the future of artificial intelligence.
SoftBank Returns to Profit in Q4 as OpenAI Bet Boosts Earnings
