Masayoshi Son Predicts AI Will Drive $46 Trillion by 2040 as He Mocks Critics

3 articles · Updated · Financial Times · Jul 14

SoftBank founder Masayoshi Son said AI would generate $46 trillion—about 20% of global output—by 2040, telling executives at SoftBank World that rejecting the technology means “refusing” human evolution.
3 terawatts of data-center capacity will be needed to power trillions of AI agents and billions of humanoid robots by 2040, he said, arguing gas-fired generation must bridge the gap before fusion becomes viable.
SoftBank is trying to span data centers, AI models, chips and robots through bets on Arm, OpenAI and other companies, as Son pushes to place the group at the center of an AI-driven shift to superintelligence.
Investor unease is still building around SoftBank’s rising leverage and possible delays to OpenAI’s IPO; the stock is up 35% this year but has slipped since a June peak.

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Financial Times9h ago

SoftBank's Masayoshi Son Ridicules AI Critics, Predicts 20% Global Output by 2040

tradingkey.com7h ago

SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son Says AI Needs $5 Trillion Annual Investment by 2040, Dismisses AI Bubble Theory as 'Absurd'

The Economic Times1m ago

SoftBank AI investment: SoftBank's Masayoshi Son says AI will need $5 trillion per year by 2040, dismisses bubble talk - The Economic Times

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SoftBank’s $500 Billion Stargate Project: Transforming Global AI Infrastructure and Powering the Agentic Revolution

Overview

SoftBank is leading the $500 billion Stargate Project to solve the global shortage of computing power needed for advanced AI. The project will build a vast network of data centers, with partners like OpenAI and Oracle, and includes major developments by Related Digital across North America. This initiative responds to the current 'compute crunch' that limits AI progress, aiming to provide the massive resources required for future AI innovation. SoftBank, under Masayoshi Son’s leadership, takes on the main financial role, highlighting a strong commitment to building the infrastructure that will power the next generation of AI.

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