SoftBank Group has sealed a $4 billion deal to acquire DigitalBridge Group in its quest for greater control over artificial intelligence infrastructure, both companies announced. The transaction underscores founder Masayoshi Son’s strategic focus on dominating the infrastructure layer that supports AI technologies.
The acquisition dramatically expands SoftBank’s footprint in digital infrastructure, which encompasses the physical and network assets essential for AI applications to operate. Son has been orchestrating a comprehensive shift of SoftBank’s investment portfolio toward artificial intelligence, recognizing the unprecedented value creation opportunity. The surging demand for computing resources to power AI systems has made infrastructure investments increasingly strategic, which DigitalBridge’s portfolio directly addresses.
DigitalBridge specializes in digital infrastructure investments spanning datacenters, cell tower networks, fiber systems, small-cell infrastructure, and edge computing facilities. The portfolio features prominent companies such as Vantage Data Centers, Zayo, Switch, and AtlasEdge. The firm’s evolution from its 1991 founding as real estate investor Colony Capital to today’s digital infrastructure specialist occurred under CEO Marc Ganzi’s leadership, involving the systematic divestiture of traditional property investments and the 2021 rebrand.
Marc Ganzi will continue serving as CEO following the acquisition, with DigitalBridge functioning as a separately managed platform within SoftBank’s structure. The scale of the transaction is noteworthy: DigitalBridge had around $108 billion in assets under management as of September 30, making it one of the largest dedicated investors in digital infrastructure globally. This established platform brings both substantial assets and specialized expertise to SoftBank.
SoftBank’s AI infrastructure investments extend beyond this deal. The company is a founding member of the Stargate project, working alongside OpenAI, Oracle, and MGX, an investment firm based in Abu Dhabi. Stargate represents a multi-billion-dollar commitment to building large-scale computing infrastructure optimized for advanced AI development. The roadmap includes five new computing sites in Texas, New Mexico, and Ohio with approximately 7 gigawatts of combined power capacity.