SoftBank’s $100 billion AI fund push hints at a late-stage boom

Masayoshi Son wants another $100 billion. If that number sounds familiar, it should. The SoftBank Group CEO is in preliminary talks with senior officials from Gulf nations, particularly the United Arab Emirates, to raise up to $100 billion for a new artificial intelligence fund, according to an October 9, 2026 report from the Financial Times. Bloomberg framed the ambition as a signal that the AI boom has entered its late stage. SoftBank has not officially confirmed the discussions. A different kind of AI bet This fund would not chase the next hot model builder. Its reported goal is to acquire established companies and improve them with AI and other advanced technologies. A central piece of the plan involves Roze, SoftBank’s own robotics unit. The fund is designed to target non-tech companies and optimize them using AI and robotics from Roze. That marks a notable shift for SoftBank. Rather than betting mainly on startups that might invent the future, the reported strategy would apply existing AI tools to businesses that already generate revenue. The OpenAI bill keeps growing The fundraising push arrives just days after SoftBank wrapped up a massive commitment elsewhere. On October 1...