SoftBank clears remaining $22.5b of OpenAI investment

SoftBank clears remaining $22.5b of OpenAI investment

FILE PHOTO: SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman attend an event to pitch AI for businesses in Tokyo, Japan February 3, 2025. REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon/File photo

SoftBankhas approved a second installment of $22.5 billion to complete its $30 billion investment in OpenAI, tech news website the Information reported on Saturday.

The Japanese investment group’s board has approved the installment as long as the artificial intelligence startup completes a corporate restructuring that would pave the way for an eventual public offering, the report said, citing a person with knowledge of the decision.

Reuters could not immediately verify the report. SoftBank and OpenAI did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The money would fill out a $41 billion financing round that was announced in April, according to the Information report.

SoftBank had earlier agreed to fund OpenAI with $10 billion in mid-April and an additional $30 billion in December, contingent on the AI firm transitioning to a for-profit structure by the end of the year.

However, the tech investment firm had said that if OpenAI‘s restructuring fails, the investment amount would drop to $20 billion.

Reuters

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