SoftBank is building ambitions to build large-scale AI businesses in the domestic market in Japan with its own motivation and strategic partnerships with others like OpenAI. exist FridayThe tech company confirmed it would pay $676 million for the factory Sharp used to build LCD panels to convert them into an artificial intelligence data center.
SoftBank’s purchase and sale agreement with Sharp includes land and buildings at the Sakai factory in Osaka, at a price of 100 billion yen ($676 million).
This is a necessary early step for SoftBank, as data centers are Lynchpin in the massive wave of generating AI that swept the technology world.
When asked if the site is part of a plan to commercialize OpenAI models in Japan, a SoftBank spokesperson pointed TechCrunch to Its previous announcement Regarding the collaboration with Openai, a high-level enterprise AI called “Cristal Intelligence” was deployed in Japan. Contacted for a response, Openai declined to comment on the news.
Openai It is said that It intends to bring its AI basic model to the Japanese market and use GPUs to develop models at the Sakai factory. SB Openai Japan, a joint venture between SoftBank and OpenAI, will use customer data training models for marketing and other activities. The joint venture will then sell custom AI agents to customers, According to Nikkei’s report.
The data center plan highlights how SoftBank and OpenAI can expand their collaboration.
Two technology companies unveiled Their joint venture in Japan The following Openai’s collaboration with SoftBank, Oracle and others To build several AI data centers in the United States, the Japanese telecom giant is also investing in OpenAI. Negotiations have been going on for several months, the latest one is SoftBank It is reported Invest as much as $25 billion in OpenAI at a valuation of nearly $300 billion. However, the fundraising has not been completed and has not been officially announced.
SoftBank purchased the plant within about 10 months of signing the Memorandum of Understanding to build a large AI data center on plants previously used for LCD panel production.
SoftBank aims to start operations in 2026. SoftBank expects LCD panel factories to have enough power to operate an AI data center, initially about 150 MW and eventually increases to 240 MW.
The Sakai facility will be SoftBank’s third facility. It’s already running a data center Tokyo Another one is being built in Hokkaido.
