SoftBank Group CEO Masayoshi Son says global spending to build and support artificial intelligence will reach about $5 trillion per year by 2040. Speaking at SoftBank’s annual corporate conference in Tokyo, Son dismisses concerns that AI investment is forming a “bubble.” He acknowledges that the figure may sound implausible to some observers, but says he is confident that the level of cost is what will be required to meet AI demand. Multiple outlets report that Son framed the estimate as a forward-looking requirement rather than a near-term forecast, linking it to the scale of AI development and related spending needed over the coming years. The reporting also notes that Son directly responds to bubble-related talk, characterising such doubts as “absurd.” Across the sources, there is agreement on both the central number—$5 trillion annually by 2040—and the stance that current AI spending concerns should not be interpreted as evidence of a bubble.