SoftBank, OpenAI launch new joint venture in Japan as AI deals grow ever more circular
If you look at how AI deals are conducted these days, it seems AI companies and their investors are imitating the circle of life. Only, it’s a circle of profit that ensures the money eventually comes back to their own coffers. Case in point: SoftBank, which is investing tens of billions into OpenAI and committing dozens more to build AI data centers and infrastructure, just launched a joint venture with the ChatGPT maker in Japan that will localize and sell the AI company’s enterprise tech to companies in the country. And the first customer of this joint venture is going to be SoftBank itself. Called SB OAI Japan, the joint venture will be owned 50-50 by SoftBank and OpenAI, and will provide what the companies are calling “Crystal intelligence,” which is being defined…
