A $4 billion takeover of DigitalBridge Group cements SoftBank Group’s role as a major force in artificial intelligence infrastructure investment. The deal, confirmed by both organizations, reflects billionaire Masayoshi Son’s vision of positioning SoftBank at the heart of the infrastructure supporting AI development.
Through this transaction, SoftBank gains significantly expanded exposure to digital infrastructure assets, which provide the foundational capabilities for AI applications to function. Son has been redirecting SoftBank’s capital toward artificial intelligence, viewing it as a once-in-a-generation technological breakthrough. The extraordinary demand for computing capacity to support AI systems has created substantial value in infrastructure sectors, which DigitalBridge’s specialized portfolio captures.
DigitalBridge’s investment portfolio encompasses critical digital infrastructure including datacenter properties, telecommunications towers, fiber optic networks, small-cell wireless systems, and edge computing infrastructure. Holdings include industry-recognized companies like Vantage Data Centers, Zayo, Switch, and AtlasEdge. Beginning as Colony Capital in 1991 as a traditional real estate investor, the company underwent a complete strategic transformation led by CEO Marc Ganzi, divesting legacy property assets and rebranding as DigitalBridge in 2021.
Following the takeover, Ganzi will remain as CEO with DigitalBridge maintaining operational independence as a separately managed platform. The financial scope is substantial: DigitalBridge oversaw roughly $108 billion in assets at the end of September, positioning it among the world’s largest institutional investors focused exclusively on digital infrastructure. This provides SoftBank with immediate access to substantial assets and deep industry relationships.
SoftBank’s commitment to AI infrastructure is demonstrated across its investment portfolio. The company is a principal partner in the Stargate project alongside OpenAI, Oracle, and MGX, a technology investment firm headquartered in Abu Dhabi. This collaborative initiative involves multi-billion-dollar investments in large-scale computing infrastructure designed specifically for advanced AI development. Plans include five computing centers in Texas, New Mexico, and Ohio with approximately 7 gigawatts of total power capacity.