SoftBank Group is finalizing a $4 billion acquisition of DigitalBridge Group to gain greater control over artificial intelligence infrastructure, both companies announced. The deal represents billionaire Masayoshi Son’s strategic vision of positioning SoftBank to capture maximum value from the AI revolution.
This transaction substantially expands SoftBank’s footprint in digital infrastructure, which encompasses the essential physical and network assets that enable AI systems to operate. Son has been directing SoftBank’s capital toward artificial intelligence, recognizing the once-in-a-generation opportunity created by the technology. The extraordinary increase in demand for computing resources to support AI applications has made infrastructure investments highly strategic, which DigitalBridge’s portfolio directly captures.
DigitalBridge’s investment focus covers essential digital infrastructure sectors including datacenters, cell tower networks, fiber systems, small-cell infrastructure, and edge computing facilities. The portfolio features industry leaders such as Vantage Data Centers, Zayo, Switch, and AtlasEdge. Beginning as Colony Capital in 1991 as a traditional real estate investor, the company transformed completely under CEO Marc Ganzi’s leadership, exiting legacy property investments and adopting the DigitalBridge name in 2021.
Marc Ganzi will remain at the helm as CEO following the acquisition, with DigitalBridge functioning as a separately managed platform within SoftBank. The scale of what SoftBank is acquiring is substantial: DigitalBridge had around $108 billion in assets under management as of September 30, ranking it among the largest investors focused exclusively on digital infrastructure worldwide. This established platform provides SoftBank with immediate scale and industry expertise.
SoftBank’s AI infrastructure investments extend to other major initiatives. The company is a founding member of the Stargate project, working with OpenAI, Oracle, and MGX, an investment firm based in Abu Dhabi. Stargate represents a multi-billion-dollar investment in large-scale computing infrastructure optimized for advanced AI development. The announced roadmap includes five new computing sites in Texas, New Mexico, and Ohio with approximately 7 gigawatts of combined power capacity.