SoftBank Injects $457 Million Into Graphcore as AI Infrastructure Push Deepens
Updated
Updated · CNBC · May 12
SoftBank Injects $457 Million Into Graphcore as AI Infrastructure Push Deepens
1 articles · Updated · CNBC · May 12
$457 million was put into Graphcore through a single-share issuance on April 10, according to a UK Companies House filing confirmed by a company spokesperson.
The funding is part of a larger SoftBank commitment expected for Graphcore this year, extending support for the British AI chipmaker SoftBank acquired in 2024.
SoftBank has been pouring tens of billions into AI, including its OpenAI stake, the $500 billion Stargate project with OpenAI and Oracle, and the 2025 purchase of Ampere Computing.
Graphcore, once pitched as a Nvidia rival but hurt by weak commercial traction, is now tied to SoftBank's broader AGI and semiconductor strategy alongside Arm.
Is Softbank's huge Graphcore investment a visionary AI play or a costly gamble on a struggling chip designer?
How will Softbank power its gigawatt-scale data centers amid a global energy crunch and climate concerns?
SoftBank Injects $457 Million into Graphcore, Accelerating the Race for AI Chip Supremacy
Overview
On April 10, 2026, SoftBank invested $457 million into Graphcore, a leading AI chipmaker, as part of its ongoing strategy to strengthen its position in the artificial intelligence sector. This investment gives Graphcore vital resources to boost research and development, scale up production, and secure its place in the competitive AI chip market. SoftBank’s founder, Masayoshi Son, praised Graphcore’s expertise in chip design, highlighting how it complements SoftBank’s existing interests through its ownership of Arm. Overall, this move helps SoftBank expand its AI infrastructure portfolio and supports Graphcore’s growth and innovation.