A $4 billion deal to acquire DigitalBridge Group advances SoftBank Group’s vision for dominance in artificial intelligence infrastructure, the companies confirmed. The transaction is central to founder Masayoshi Son’s strategy of positioning SoftBank at the epicenter of the AI technological transformation.
Through this acquisition, SoftBank obtains significantly increased exposure to digital infrastructure, which provides the foundational capabilities required for AI technologies to function at scale. Son has been systematically focusing SoftBank’s investments on artificial intelligence, characterizing it as a once-in-a-generation opportunity. The massive growth in demand for computing capacity to power AI applications has created valuable opportunities in infrastructure, which DigitalBridge’s specialized portfolio addresses.
DigitalBridge invests across critical digital infrastructure categories including datacenter properties, telecommunications towers, fiber optic networks, small-cell wireless systems, and edge computing infrastructure. The company’s holdings include prominent businesses like Vantage Data Centers, Zayo, Switch, and AtlasEdge. Originally established as Colony Capital in 1991 with a focus on traditional real estate, the firm underwent a complete transformation under CEO Marc Ganzi’s direction, divesting legacy property assets and rebranding as DigitalBridge in 2021.
Under the transaction terms, Ganzi will continue as CEO with DigitalBridge operating as an independently managed platform. The magnitude is noteworthy: DigitalBridge managed approximately $108 billion in assets at the end of September, establishing it as among the world’s largest dedicated investors in digital infrastructure. This gives SoftBank immediate access to substantial assets and deep industry relationships.
SoftBank’s involvement in AI infrastructure includes multiple high-profile initiatives. The company is a core partner in the Stargate project, collaborating with OpenAI, Oracle, and MGX, a technology investor based in Abu Dhabi. This ambitious venture involves deploying billions of dollars 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 target of approximately 7 gigawatts.
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