SoftBank Acquires $676M Sharp Plant for AI Data Center in Collaboration with OpenAI

SoftBank buys $676M old Sharp plant for its OpenAI collab in Japan | TechCrunch

SoftBank is marching ahead on its ambitions to build out a major AI operation in its home market of Japan, on its own steam and in strategic partnership with others like OpenAI. On Friday, the tech company confirmed it would pay $676 million for factory previously used by Sharp to build LCD panels to convert it into an artificial intelligence data center. SoftBank's purchase and sale agreement with Sharp includes both the land and buildings of the Sharp Sakai Plant in Osaka, for a price of 100 billion yen ($676 million). This was a necessary early step for SoftBank since data centers are a lynchpin in the massive wave of generative AI sweeping the tech world: substantial data center capacity is needed both to train models and to provision and run subsequent services. When asked if the site is part of its plans to commercialize OpenAI's models in Japan, a SoftBank spokesperson pointed TechCrunch to its previous announcement regarding a collaboration with OpenAI to deploy an advanced enterprise AI called "Cristal Intelligence" in Japan. Contacted for a response, OpenAI declined to comment on the news. OpenAI reportedly intends to bring its AI foundational models to the Japanese market, leveraging GPUs to develop models at the Sakai plant. SB OpenAI Japan, a joint venture between SoftBank and OpenAI, will train models using clients' data from marketing and other activities. The JV will then sell customized AI agents to clients, per a report by Nikkei. The data center plan underscores how SoftBank and OpenAI are broadening the scope of their collaboration. The two tech companies unveiled their joint venture in Japan following OpenAI's collaborations with SoftBank, Oracle, and other companies to build several AI data centers in the U.S. The Japanese telco giant is also investing in OpenAI. Talks have been going on for months, and the latest is that SoftBank is reportedly investing as much as $25 billion in OpenAI at a valuation of nearly $300 billion. However, that fundraise has yet to close, nor be announced officially. SoftBank's purchase of the plant comes roughly 10 months after signing an MOU to construct a large AI data center at a plant Sharp previously used for LCD panel production. SoftBank aims to commence operations in 2026. SoftBank expects the LCD panel factory to have sufficient power capacity to operate the AI data center, initially at around 150 megawatts and eventually increasing to over 240 megawatts.

SoftBank, OpenAI to jointly run AI agents at ex-Sharp LCD plant in Osaka, Nikkei reports

March 14 (Reuters) - SoftBank (9434.T), opens new tab plans to transform a former Sharp LCD panel plant in Japan into a data center for operating artificial intelligence agents developed in collaboration with U.S.-based ChatGPT creator, OpenAI, according to a Nikkei report on Friday. The Japanese telecom giant is set to purchase the facility and a portion of the land at Sharp's shuttered TV liquid crystal display factory in Osaka for approximately 100 billion yen ($677.05 million), the report said. ($1 = 147.7000 yen) Reporting by Kumar Tanishk in Bengaluru; Editing by Tasim Zahid Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab Suggested Topics:Artificial Intelligence

SoftBank, OpenAI to jointly run AI agents at ex-Sharp LCD plant in Osaka: report

The Japanese telecom giant is set to purchase the facility and a portion of the land at Sharp's shuttered TV liquid crystal display factory in Osaka for approximately 100 billion yen ($677.05 million), the report said.SoftBank plans to transform a former Sharp LCD panel plant in Japan into a data center for operating artificial intelligence agents developed in collaboration with US-based ChatGPT creator, OpenAI, according to a Nikkei report on Friday. The Japanese telecom giant is set to purchase the facility and a portion of the land at Sharp's shuttered TV liquid crystal display factory in Osaka for approximately 100 billion yen ($677.05 million), the report said.

SoftBank To Build $676 Million AI Data Center In Japan, Linked To OpenAI Partnership - SoftBank Group (OTC:SFTBF), SoftBank Group (OTC:SFTBY)

On Friday, Japanese investment firm SoftBank Corp SFTBF SFTBY announced an agreement with Sharp Corp to purchase land, buildings, and assets tied to Sharp's liquid crystal panel factory in Sakai City, Osaka Prefecture. The acquisition, valued at approximately 100 billion yen ($676 million), is intended to support the development of a large-scale artificial intelligence (AI) data center. SoftBank confirmed to TechCrunch that the purchase aligns with its strategic partnership with OpenAI. SoftBank will use approximately 450,000 square meters of land and about 840,000 square meters of buildings at the Sharp Sakai Factory to build an AI data center with a 150-megawatt power capacity, aiming to begin operations in 2026, TechCruch reports. Also Read: ChatGPT Parent OpenAI's Specialized AI Agents Could Cost Up To $20 Thousand Per Month: report The company plans to expand the power receiving capacity to over 250 megawatts. SoftBank will use this AI data center to develop generative AI and other AI-related businesses. It will also provide it to universities, research institutes, and companies to meet various external needs. SoftBank is reportedly negotiating a potential investment of $15 billion to $25 billion in OpenAI to become the largest investor in the ChatGPT creator, surpassing Microsoft Corp's MSFT $14 billion. In January 2025, President Donald Trump announced the $500 billion OpenAI, SoftBank, and Oracle Corp ORCL initiative when OpenAI said Stargate would expand to as many as 10 sites. OpenAI and Oracle plan to begin filling a new data center in Texas with AI chips from Nvidia Corp to get the first facility for their $100 billion Stargate infrastructure venture up and running. OpenAI collaborated with Oracle on the design and delivery of the Abilene data center, and Oracle is in charge of the supercomputer being built there. Also Read: Sam Altman in Korea: OpenAI Seeks AI Deals With Samsung, SK Hynix, and SoftBank Amid Global AI Boom Photo: Shutterstock SFTBFSoftBank Group Corp$62.2719.5%OverviewSFTBYSoftBank Group Corp$26.110.31%MSFTMicrosoft Corp$382.571.00%ORCLOracle Corp$149.701.38%Market News and Data brought to you by Benzinga APIs

OpenAI Deepens Japan Focus as SoftBank Buys $676M Sharp Plant for AI Hub

SoftBank Group CEO Masayoshi Son (in image) speaks as Open AI CEO Sam Altman (In image) looks on during a talk session at an event titled "Transforming Business through AI" in Tokyo, Japan. Credit: Tomohiro Ohsumi, Stringer via Getty Images. SoftBank has announced plans to spend 100 billion yen ($676 million) on a factory formerly owned by Japanese electronics company Sharp, which will convert into an artificial intelligence data center. The move is part of SoftBank's continued collaboration with OpenAI as the U.S. ChatGPT maker pushes further into Japan's market. SoftBank Buys New Plant for OpenAI Venture On Friday, March 14, SoftBank announced it was purchasing the land and buildings of the Sharp Sakai Plant in Osaka for $676 million. The Japanese tech giant confirmed to TechCrunch that the site was part of its joint venture with OpenAI to launch an enterprise AI in Japan. The facility, expected to commence operations in 2026, will be one of Japan's largest, boasting a power capacity of 150 megawatts. AI innovation and development relies on data centers, which serve as the backbone of its computational power. The rapid advancements in AI, from large language models to sophisticated machine learning applications, require immense processing capacity and energy. The AI firm said it was committed to collaborating "with the Japanese government, local businesses, and research institutions to develop safe AI tools that serve Japan's unique needs and to unlock new opportunities." To lead the Japanese branch, OpenAI appointed Tadao Nagasaki, a former executive at AWS, as President. As part of a further commitment to the region, OpenAI introduced a custom GPT-4 model optimized for the Japanese language. In January, it was reported SoftBank was in talks to invest up to $25 billion in OpenAI, which is valued at almost $300 billion. In 2023, CEO Sam Altman said he hoped his company could build "something great for Japanese people [and] make the models better for Japanese language and Japanese culture." Japan's AI Push The Japanese government is also proactively supporting the domestic semiconductor and AI industries, launching a $65 billion plan in subsidies and financial incentives. The plan will extend until 2030, aimed at boosting the country's leadership in emerging technologies, as export tensions continue to grow between the U.S. and China. In 2023, Japan joined the U.S. in restricting exports of 23 types of semiconductor manufacturing equipment to China. Japan has also been proactive about using AI in its defense. In July, the country introduced a policy to promote the use of AI in its military. "We will deepen cooperation with the private sector and relevant foreign agencies by proactively conveying the Defense Ministry's view," said defense chief Minoru Kihara.

SoftBank and OpenAI to develop AI data center at former Sharp plant - Nikkei By Investing.com

Investing.com -- SoftBank (TYO:9984) Corp. has announced plans to repurpose a former Sharp (OTC:SHCAY) LCD panel plant in Japan into a data center for artificial intelligence (AI) operations, in partnership with OpenAI. The AI agents to be run at this facility will be jointly developed by the two companies, according to Nikkei. The Japanese telecoms firm is expected to sign a contract as soon as Friday to acquire the facilities and a portion of the land at the now-defunct Sharp TV liquid crystal display plant, located in the city of Sakai, Osaka. The expected purchase price for the site is around 100 billion yen ($676 million). SoftBank has determined that the location could generate sufficient electricity in the long term to operate an AI data center. This investment in the Japanese facility, one of the country's largest, could approach $7 billion.

SoftBank, OpenAI to build AI data centre in Japan, Nikkei reports

SoftBank plans to transform a former Sharp LCD panel plant in Japan into a data centre for operating artificial intelligence agents developed in collaboration with U.S.-based ChatGPT creator, OpenAI, according to a Nikkei report on Friday. The Japanese telecom giant intends to purchase the facility and part of the land at Sharp's closed TV LCD factory in Osaka for about 100 billion yen ($677.05 million). The centre is expected to start operations in 2026 and will be one of the largest in Japan, boasting a power capacity of 150 megawatts. The partnership aims to commercialize OpenAI's AI agent model in Japan, with plans to train the model on client companies' data and offer customised AI agents. The investment is expected to be significant, potentially approaching 1 trillion yen ($6.77 billion), the Japanese media outlet reported. Softbank and OpenAI did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment. ($1 = 147.7000 yen) (Reporting by Kumar Tanishk in Bengaluru; Editing by Tasim Zahid)