SoftBank's Big Bucks in AI: CFO Reveals $184 Billion Investment Impact

Navneet Govil, the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of SoftBank's Vision Fund, discussed the importance of the company's massive $183.6 billion portfolio in staying ahead in the field of artificial intelligence (AI).

Ad

Govil explained that because SoftBank has many companies in its portfolio, it has an advantage over smaller competitors. This allows SoftBank to help these companies use AI in their businesses, which smaller companies might struggle to do.

SoftBank's Vision Fund invests in many startups, including well-known ones like Uber and WeWork. These investments took a hit in 2022 due to various factors, like rising interest rates and political instability. Despite this, SoftBank is still focused on finding new ways to use AI to help its companies grow.

Advertisement

Govil said that while SoftBank isn't making investment decisions based solely on AI, it does look at how much money its companies make from working together. This includes things like buying from each other or entering new markets.

SoftBank has also brought many of its companies to Japan, which they might not have been able to do on their own. This shows how working together can benefit everyone involved.

While SoftBank has invested less in recent years compared to before, Govil says that SoftBank still invests more than other similar funds. This shows that SoftBank is committed to using AI to help its companies succeed.

Overall, SoftBank is using its large portfolio and partnerships to stay ahead in AI and help its companies grow.

Also Read: Microsoft Invests €4 Billion in France's AI Growth at 'Choose France' Summit