SoftBank Targets AI Infrastructure Dominance with $4B DigitalBridge Buy

SoftBank Group is targeting dominance in artificial intelligence infrastructure through a $4 billion purchase of DigitalBridge Group, both companies announced. The acquisition is part of founder Masayoshi Son’s comprehensive strategy to position SoftBank as the leading investor in infrastructure supporting AI technologies.
The transaction provides SoftBank with dramatically expanded exposure to digital infrastructure, which delivers the computing, networking, and storage capabilities essential for AI applications. Son has been explicit about focusing SoftBank’s investments on artificial intelligence, recognizing it as a transformational technological shift. The unprecedented growth in demand for computing resources to power AI systems has made infrastructure investments increasingly strategic, which DigitalBridge’s portfolio directly captures.
DigitalBridge has built a portfolio spanning critical digital infrastructure sectors including datacenters, cell tower networks, fiber systems, small-cell infrastructure, and edge computing facilities. Holdings include prominent companies like Vantage Data Centers, Zayo, Switch, and AtlasEdge. The firm’s transformation from its 1991 founding as real estate investor Colony Capital to its current incarnation occurred under CEO Marc Ganzi, who orchestrated the exit from traditional real estate and the 2021 rebrand to DigitalBridge.
Following the acquisition, Ganzi will continue serving as CEO with DigitalBridge maintaining its operational independence as a separately managed platform. The magnitude is noteworthy: DigitalBridge oversaw roughly $108 billion in assets at the end of September, positioning it among the largest institutional investors focused exclusively on digital infrastructure. This gives SoftBank immediate access to substantial assets and specialized expertise.
SoftBank’s involvement in AI infrastructure extends to other major projects. The company is a key partner in the Stargate project, collaborating with OpenAI, Oracle, and MGX, an investment firm based in Abu Dhabi. This ambitious venture involves billions of dollars in investments to build large-scale computing infrastructure purpose-built for advanced AI development. Plans include five computing facilities in Texas, New Mexico, and Ohio with a total power capacity of approximately 7 gigawatts.