SoftBank profit jumps on soaring AI valuations
- ByStartupStory | November 11, 2025
SoftBank Group Corp., Japan’s technology investment giant, reported a remarkable surge in net profit for the second quarter ended September 30, 2025, driven by soaring valuations of its artificial intelligence (AI) investments. The company posted net profit of 2.5 trillion yen ($16.2 billion), more than doubling from 1.2 trillion yen in the same period last year, far exceeding analyst expectations.
A significant contributor to SoftBank’s earnings boom was the dramatic increase in the value of its holdings in AI-focused companies such as OpenAI, the firm behind ChatGPT. SoftBank leads a consortium backing OpenAI, with investments expected to reach up to $40 billion, which positions the company at the forefront of the generative AI revolution. Gains from this investment alone accounted for billions of dollars in SoftBank’s quarterly profits.
In addition to its stakes in AI software companies, SoftBank sold nearly $5.8 billion worth of shares in Nvidia in October, a chipmaker central to AI hardware development. This exit from Nvidia marked the Japanese conglomerate’s strategic reallocation of capital, likely aiming to deepen its investments further into AI and robotics. Recently, SoftBank announced its intention to acquire Swiss industrial technology firm ABB’s robotics division for $5.4 billion, signaling its ambition to combine AI with robotics — a move towards what it calls “physical AI.”
SoftBank’s shares have more than doubled in value during 2025, boosted by market optimism about AI’s transformative impact on a wide range of industries. The company’s aggressive positioning in AI-related sectors, under the leadership of founder Masayoshi Son, reflects a bullish stance on AI’s potential to drive future technological and economic growth. Son, who believes “artificial superintelligence” is on the horizon, sees AI as a catalyst for breakthroughs in medicine, manufacturing, and communication.
Despite the enthusiasm, some analysts caution investors about the risks inherent in the AI investment boom. Valuations of AI companies remain highly volatile, and the competitive landscape is intensifying, with major players like Google, Anthropic, and others investing heavily in AI innovation.
SoftBank’s strong Q2 performance underscores the pivotal role AI is playing in reshaping investment priorities and highlights the growing synergy between AI technologies and physical robotics, positioning the company as a major force in the next wave of tech disruption.
This surge in profits and strategic portfolio moves exemplify how AI is not only a tech industry phenomenon but also a powerful driver of shareholder value and industrial transformation worldwide.
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