SoftBank Group is consolidating artificial intelligence infrastructure power through a $4 billion deal to acquire DigitalBridge Group, both companies announced. The transaction reflects founder Masayoshi Son’s strategy of concentrating infrastructure ownership to maximize influence in the AI ecosystem.
The consolidation provides SoftBank with substantially concentrated digital infrastructure holdings, which deliver the computing, storage, and networking capabilities essential for AI systems. Son has been directing SoftBank’s strategy toward consolidating power in artificial intelligence infrastructure, recognizing that concentrated ownership creates strategic advantages. The massive demand for computing resources to support AI applications makes consolidation valuable, which DigitalBridge’s substantial portfolio enables.
DigitalBridge specializes in digital infrastructure investments spanning datacenters, cell towers, fiber networks, small-cell systems, and edge infrastructure. The company’s holdings include industry-recognized businesses such as Vantage Data Centers, Zayo, Switch, and AtlasEdge. Beginning as Colony Capital in 1991 as a real estate investment firm, the company underwent a complete strategic transformation led by CEO Marc Ganzi, exiting traditional property investments and adopting the DigitalBridge name in 2021.
Following the consolidation, Ganzi will remain at the helm as CEO, with DigitalBridge functioning as a separately managed platform within SoftBank’s concentrated holdings. The consolidation scale is impressive: DigitalBridge managed around $108 billion in assets as of September 30, establishing it as one of the world’s largest dedicated investors in digital infrastructure. This substantially increases SoftBank’s concentrated power in AI infrastructure markets.
SoftBank’s consolidation strategy extends beyond DigitalBridge. The company is a founding member of the Stargate project, working with OpenAI, Oracle, and MGX, an investment firm headquartered in Abu Dhabi. Stargate represents a multi-billion-dollar commitment to building large-scale computing infrastructure optimized for advanced AI development. Current plans include five new computing facilities in Texas, New Mexico, and Ohio designed for approximately 7 gigawatts of combined power capacity.