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SoftBank Group Corporation and OpenAI Group PBC announced the launch of their new 50/50 joint venture in Japan. The new business—named SB OAI Japan GK—is designed to offer a packaged enterprise AI solution dubbed “Crystal Intelligence”.
According to SoftBank, Crystal Intelligence is defined as a “packaged enterprise AI solution” targeted at corporate management and operations in Japan. The venture will combine OpenAI’s advanced technologies with SoftBank’s local implementation and support services.
Furthermore, the venture emphasized that SoftBank will itself will act as the first customer, deploying the solution internally across its businesses to validate its effectiveness before marketing it to other Japanese firms. The service is expected to officially become available to companies in Japan in 2026.
The deal exemplifies a “circular” pattern in AI investment, where major backers become early adopters of the technology they fund. This approach allows them to capture value within their own organizations before selling the technology to others.
In this case, SoftBank is putting that idea into practice by making AI part of its everyday operations. The company says all its employees are now using AI in their daily work and has already created around 2.5 million custom ChatGPT instances for internal use, turning itself into both a testing ground and an early customer for the very technology it helps finance.
The Vision of Masa Son and His Long-Game in AI
Now, let's tie the venture back to SoftBank founder Masayoshi Son’s long-standing vision of a future powered by AI and robotics. His earlier bets on AI, like the Vision Fund, show that this move is part of his persistent ambition and love he has for AI rather than a trend-following decision or just doing business.
For years, Son has championed AI as the ultimate driver of human progress. He has invested heavily through his Vision Fund and predicting a future where machines surpass human intelligence. Partnering with OpenAI brings that vision closer to reality because it positioned SoftBank not just as a financial backer but as an active architect of Japan’s AI transformation.
What do you think about this new venture in Japan? Is it a strategic step toward that'll strengthen the country's stand in the global AI race, or just another corporate experiment in a crowded market? Let's know your opinions in the comments section.
