SoftBank Group CEO Masayoshi Son says the world will need about $5 trillion per year to meet artificial-intelligence demand by 2040, and he dismisses concerns that current AI spending could create a bubble. Multiple outlets report that Son made the remarks at SoftBank’s annual corporate conference in Tokyo. He acknowledges that the figure sounds implausible to some observers but says he is confident it reflects what AI building will require each year.
The reports also frame Son’s view in the context of his long-standing support for AI. Fortune notes he founded SoftBank decades ago and has invested tens of billions of dollars in AI-related ventures. Courthouse News adds that SoftBank has begun building a battery business, which Son links to anticipated growth in electricity needs driven by wider AI use.
Overall, the coverage centers on Son’s estimate of annual global AI spending needed through 2040, alongside his criticism of bubble talk and references to SoftBank’s wider preparations for the power infrastructure demand that increased AI deployment may require.
