SoftBank and OpenAI's Japanese Joint Venture Faces Significant Delays
3 Sources
3 Sources
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SoftBank, OpenAI Japan AI joint venture is delayed, source says
TOKYO, Sept 18 (Reuters) - SoftBank's (9984.T), opens new tab plans to set up a joint venture with OpenAI to bring artificial intelligence services to corporate customers in Japan are significantly behind schedule, according to a source familiar with the matter. The joint venture was supposed to be set up this summer but preparations are taking longer than anticipated, with an update on progress expected in November, the source said, declining to be named as the details are not public. SoftBank said preparations were proceeding but declined to comment on details. OpenAI did not immediately respond to a request for comment. SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son announced the venture, SB OpenAI Japan, with OpenAI CEO Sam Altman in February. SoftBank said the venture would be owned by OpenAI and a company established by SoftBank and its domestic telecoms unit. At a shareholder meeting in June, the CEO of the telecoms business, Junichi Miyakawa, said July-end was the target to set up the venture. The products the business will offer are in discussion, Miyakawa said. After a period of retrenchment due to a series of soured tech investments, Son is making splashy investments again, backing OpenAI and other ventures related to AI. The $500 billion Stargate project to develop data centres in the U.S. has been delayed by protracted negotiations with other parties and on decisions related to locations, SoftBank's chief financial officer Yoshimitsu Goto said last month. Reporting by Yusuke Ogawa; Writing by Sam Nussey Editing by Shri Navaratnam Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab
[2]
SoftBank's OpenAI joint venture in Japan faces delays - report By Investing.com
Investing.com -- SoftBank's plans to establish a joint venture with OpenAI to provide artificial intelligence services to corporate customers in Japan have fallen behind schedule, Reuters reported on Thursday, citing a person familiar with the matter. The joint venture was originally expected to be set up during summer 2025. An update on the progress of this partnership is anticipated in November, according to the report. The collaboration aims to bring OpenAI's artificial intelligence capabilities to Japanese corporate clients through SoftBank's distribution network. This article was generated with the support of AI and reviewed by an editor. For more information see our T&C.
[3]
SoftBank, OpenAI Japan AI joint venture is delayed, source says
TOKYO (Reuters) -SoftBank's plans to set up a joint venture with OpenAI to bring artificial intelligence services to corporate customers in Japan are significantly behind schedule, according to a source familiar with the matter. The joint venture was supposed to be set up this summer but preparations are taking longer than anticipated, with an update on progress expected in November, the source said, declining to be named as the details are not public. SoftBank said preparations were proceeding but declined to comment on details. OpenAI did not immediately respond to a request for comment. SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son announced the venture, SB OpenAI Japan, with OpenAI CEO Sam Altman in February. SoftBank said the venture would be owned by OpenAI and a company established by SoftBank and its domestic telecoms unit. At a shareholder meeting in June, the CEO of the telecoms business, Junichi Miyakawa, said July-end was the target to set up the venture. The products the business will offer are in discussion, Miyakawa said. After a period of retrenchment due to a series of soured tech investments, Son is making splashy investments again, backing OpenAI and other ventures related to AI. The $500 billion Stargate project to develop data centres in the U.S. has been delayed by protracted negotiations with other parties and on decisions related to locations, SoftBank's chief financial officer Yoshimitsu Goto said last month. (Reporting by Yusuke Ogawa; Writing by Sam NusseyEditing by Shri Navaratnam)
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The planned joint venture between SoftBank and OpenAI to provide AI services in Japan has been delayed. Originally set to launch in summer 2025, the project is now behind schedule, with an update expected in November.
Delayed Launch of SoftBank-OpenAI Joint Venture
SoftBank's ambitious plans to establish a joint venture with OpenAI in Japan have hit a significant snag. The venture, aimed at bringing artificial intelligence services to corporate customers in Japan, is now considerably behind schedule
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. Initially slated for a summer 2025 launch, the project's preparations are taking longer than anticipated, according to a source familiar with the matter2
.Project Background and Expectations
The joint venture, named SB OpenAI Japan, was announced in February by SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman. The venture is set to be owned by OpenAI and a company established by SoftBank and its domestic telecoms unit
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. At a shareholder meeting in June, Junichi Miyakawa, CEO of SoftBank's telecoms business, had set a target of July-end to establish the venture1
.Current Status and Next Steps
While SoftBank has confirmed that preparations are proceeding, they have declined to comment on specific details. An update on the progress of this partnership is now anticipated in November
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. The products that the business will offer are still under discussion, indicating that the venture's scope and offerings are yet to be finalized1
.Related Stories
SoftBank's AI Investments and Challenges
This delay comes at a time when SoftBank, after a period of retrenchment due to a series of soured tech investments, is once again making significant investments in AI-related ventures
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. The joint venture with OpenAI is part of SoftBank's strategy to leverage AI capabilities and expand its presence in the rapidly growing AI market.However, this is not the only project facing delays for SoftBank. The company's ambitious $500 billion Stargate project to develop data centers in the U.S. has also been delayed due to protracted negotiations with other parties and decisions related to locations
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.Implications for the Japanese AI Market
The delay in launching the SoftBank-OpenAI joint venture could have significant implications for the Japanese AI market. As one of the first major collaborations between a leading Japanese tech conglomerate and a prominent AI research company, the venture was expected to accelerate the adoption of advanced AI technologies among Japanese corporations
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