Arm plans to develop artificial intelligence processors for parent company SoftBank, and SoftBank reportedly plans to use them in its own data centers. Nikkei Shimbun. This is a key step in SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son’s vision to transform SoftBank into an AI-driven conglomerate with a planned investment of 10 trillion yen ($64 billion).
UK-based Arm plans to establish a dedicated division dedicated to AI chips, with the goal of completing a prototype by spring 2025. Following prototype processors in spring 2025, mass production of Arm’s processors is scheduled to begin in fall 2025. Contract chip manufacturers such as TSMC, Samsung Foundry, and Intel.
SoftBank plans to build data centers using its processors in the United States, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East by 2026. The company is reportedly expanding into power generation as data centers have significant power requirements. The plan includes the development of wind and solar power facilities with an eye toward pioneering next-generation fusion technology, the Nikkei newspaper claims.
SoftBank, which owns 90% of Arm’s shares, will bear the initial development costs, which are expected to amount to several hundred billion yen. The Nikkei Shimbun reports that once the processors are mass-produced, the AI chip business may be separated and operated under SoftBank. Meanwhile, it’s unclear whether Arm will make the design available to customers. It’s also unclear how Arm’s customers will view the plan, since SoftBank will be competing not only with chip developers whose technology is licensed from Arm, but also with cloud companies such as Amazon and Microsoft.
Son’s broader strategy includes leveraging AI to enhance capabilities across the data centre, robotics and power generation sectors. SoftBank is committed to fusing cutting-edge AI, processor, and robotics technologies to drive innovation across various industries.
SoftBank’s CEO has been active globally, visiting major technology hubs in Taiwan and the United States and meeting with industry leaders to garner support for his AI efforts. He has emphasized the potential of artificial general intelligence to revolutionize sectors such as shipping, pharmaceuticals, finance, manufacturing and logistics.
The AI processor market is growing rapidly, expected to rise from $30 billion this year to more than $100 billion by 2029 and exceed $200 billion by 2032, according to estimates cited by the Nikkei Shimbun. has been done. Although Nvidia currently has market leadership, the company has struggled to meet the surging demand for AI processors such as his H100, and this presents an opportunity for SoftBank.