TLDRs
- SoftBank will launch SB Neo to provide AI chip rentals and cloud computing services in the U.S.
- The company targets 10GW of AI data center capacity by 2030, surpassing key competitors.
- Texas will host SB Neo’s first multigigawatt AI data center supporting training and inference workloads.
- SoftBank plans partnerships to reduce infrastructure costs while expanding its AI computing business.
SoftBank (SFTBY) is expanding its artificial intelligence ambitions with plans to build one of the largest AI computing platforms in the United States.
The Japanese technology conglomerate announced that it will establish a new venture, SB Neo Inc., focused on renting AI chips and cloud computing services to businesses, underscoring its growing commitment to AI infrastructure.
The new company is expected to begin operations during the next fiscal year and will target enterprises seeking access to high-performance computing resources for AI model training and inference. As demand for AI accelerates across industries, SoftBank is positioning itself to become a major supplier of computing power rather than simply an investor in AI companies.
New Venture Takes Shape
SB Neo will be jointly owned by SoftBank Corp. and its parent, SoftBank Group. Under the ownership structure, SoftBank Corp., the group’s telecommunications arm, will hold a 51% stake, while SoftBank Group will own the remaining 49%.
The venture will focus on leasing graphics processing units (GPUs) and providing cloud-based AI infrastructure to customers across the United States. Rather than requiring businesses to invest billions of dollars in their own AI hardware, SB Neo intends to offer scalable access to computing resources through a rental model.
The strategy reflects a broader shift in the AI industry, where access to computing capacity has become one of the biggest challenges facing startups and large enterprises alike. Training advanced AI models requires enormous amounts of GPU power, while inference workloads continue to expand as AI applications reach commercial deployment.
Ambitious Capacity Goal
SoftBank has outlined an aggressive target for SB Neo’s long-term growth. According to SoftBank Corp. President and CEO Junichi Miyakawa, the venture aims to provide approximately 10 gigawatts of AI data center capacity by around 2030.
If achieved, that figure would place SB Neo among the largest AI infrastructure providers in the industry. The planned capacity would exceed the currently contracted power levels reported by neocloud competitors CoreWeave and Nebius, both of which currently operate around 3.5 gigawatts and are targeting more than 5 gigawatts by the end of the decade.
The announcement highlights how AI infrastructure is becoming increasingly important as technology companies race to meet surging demand for computing resources. Major cloud providers and specialized AI infrastructure firms have been investing heavily in data centers capable of supporting next-generation AI systems.
Although SoftBank revealed its overall capacity ambitions, the company has not yet disclosed which semiconductor manufacturers will supply the AI chips powering SB Neo’s infrastructure.
Texas Chosen For Launch
The first phase of SB Neo’s expansion will begin in Texas, where the company plans to construct a multigigawatt AI data center.
Texas has become one of the fastest-growing destinations for large-scale AI infrastructure projects thanks to its available land, expanding energy resources, and business-friendly environment. The state has attracted significant investment from technology firms building facilities to support AI training, cloud computing, and high-performance workloads.
The Texas facility is expected to serve as the foundation for SB Neo’s cloud computing platform, providing customers with GPU capacity for developing and deploying AI applications.
SoftBank’s growing presence in Texas also aligns with other AI-related initiatives linked to the broader SoftBank ecosystem. Separate SoftBank-affiliated entities have previously been associated with AI infrastructure developments in the state, including an SB Energy project connected to OpenAI in Milam County.
Partnerships To Reduce Risk
Developing AI data centers requires massive capital investment, particularly as facilities grow to consume gigawatts of electricity. To help manage those costs, SoftBank plans to pursue partnerships instead of funding every project independently.
Miyakawa said SB Neo intends to collaborate with SoftBank Group and other companies when building new AI infrastructure, allowing the venture to expand while limiting financial risk.
The company also highlighted its Infrinia software platform, which helps customers manage GPU leasing. The software is expected to play an important role as enterprises increasingly seek flexible ways to access AI computing resources without purchasing hardware outright.
SoftBank’s latest initiative reflects its broader strategy of investing heavily in AI technologies and supporting the infrastructure required to power the industry’s continued expansion. As competition intensifies among cloud providers and AI infrastructure companies, the success of SB Neo will likely depend on its ability to scale rapidly while meeting growing demand for reliable and cost-effective AI computing services.
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