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

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,

SoftBank announced a deal with Sharp to acquire assets for 100 billion yen to build a large-scale AI data center, aiming to become largest investor in OpenAI.

For its joint venture with OpenAI, SoftBank has announced plans to spend $676 million on a factory in Japan, which it plans to turn into