SoftBank buys $676M old Sharp plant for its OpenAI collab in Japan
Softbank is marching ahead of its ambitions to build a large AI operation in his home market in Japan, on its own steam and in strategic partnership with others such as OpenAi. On FridayThe technology company confirmed that it would pay $ 676 million for the factory used by Sharp to build LCD panels to convert it into a data center for artificial intelligence.
The purchase and sales agreement of Softbank with Sharp includes both the country and the buildings of the Sharp Sakai factory in Osaka, for a price of 100 billion yen ($ 676 million).
This was a necessary early step for Softbank, because data centers are a lynchpin in the enormous wave of generative AI who wipe the technical world: substantial data center capacity is needed to train models as for delivering and later services.
When asked whether the site is part of its plans to commercialize the OpenAI models in Japan, a spokesperson for Softbank on WAN pointed out His earlier announcement Regarding a collaboration with OpenAI to implement an advanced company AI called “Cristal Intelligence” in Japan. Contact for a response, OpenAi refused to comment on the news.
Openi Reportedly is planning to bring AI -Fundamental models to the Japanese market and to use GPUs to develop models at the Sakai factory. SB OpenAI Japan, a joint venture between Softbank and OpenAi, will train models using the data from customers from marketing and other activities. The JV will then sell adapted AI agents to customers, According to a report from Nikkei.
The data center plan underlines how Softbank and OpenAI broaden the scope of their collaboration.
The two technology companies revealed their joint venture in Japan after the collaborations of OpenAI with Softbank, Oracle and other companies to build different AI data centers in the US. The Japanese telco giant also invests in OpenAI. There have been talks for months and the latter is that Softbank reportedly invests no less than $ 25 billion in OpenAI in a valuation of almost $ 300 billion. However, this fundraising must still be closed or officially announced.
Softbank’s purchase of the factory comes approximately 10 months after Sign a mou to build a large AI data center With a plant sharp earlier used for LCD panel production.
Softbank wants to start the activities in 2026. Softbank expects the LCD panel factory to have sufficient power capacity to operate the AI data center, initially at around 150 megawatts and ultimately to more than 240 megawatts.
The Sakai facility will be the third data center of Softbank. It already employs a data center Tokyo And another one is being built Hokkaido.
