OpenAI and SoftBank Form Joint Venture for AI Services

OpenAI and SoftBank Group have joined forces to form a joint venture, SB OpenAI Japan, aimed at bringing advanced AI services to Japanese enterprises. The partnership, announced on February 3, 2025, will focus on marketing and distributing OpenAI's cutting-edge AI products, including ChatGPT Enterprise and custom AI models, to major companies in Japan.

The joint venture will serve as a springboard for introducing AI agents tailored to the unique needs of Japanese enterprises while setting a model for global adoption. By leveraging SoftBank's extensive Japan-based network, operational expertise, and business insights, SB OpenAI Japan will be well-equipped to scale these solutions effectively.

OpenAI's advanced AI research, technology, and engineering support will be provided to SB OpenAI Japan, while SoftBank Corp. will second its sales staff and engineers to contribute to the venture's success. Arm's compute platform will provide the performance, efficiency, and scalability required to support the increasing computational demands of AI agents, from the cloud to the edge.



The partnership between OpenAI and SoftBank is a significant step towards accelerating the development and adoption of AI agents and more advanced systems. By deploying OpenAI's solutions across SoftBank Group companies, including Arm and SoftBank Corp., the venture will transform management and operational practices, automate workflows, and create new business opportunities.

SoftBank Group will spend $3 billion US annually to deploy OpenAI's solutions across its group companies, making it the first company in the world to integrate Cristal intelligence at scale. This investment will not only transform the way SoftBank Group operates but also revolutionize the way companies work in Japan and around the globe.

The joint venture will prioritize the security and privacy of enterprise data while integrating AI services. A secure environment for additional data training and fine-tuning will be built, integrated with internal systems, to build AI agents. This approach will enable clients to securely train their own data in a secure environment and build AI agents that are fully integrated with their own IT systems.

In conclusion, the partnership between OpenAI and SoftBank Group is a strategic move that will accelerate the adoption of AI services in Japanese enterprises. By leveraging the strengths of both companies, SB OpenAI Japan will provide customized AI solutions tailored to the unique needs of Japanese businesses, driving innovation and growth in the process.