SoftBank founder Masayoshi Son is seeking as much as $100 billion from Gulf investors for a proposed fund that would buy companies and use artificial intelligence to improve their operations.
The Financial Times reported on October 9, 2026, that Son had held preliminary discussions with senior figures in the United Arab Emirates and possibly elsewhere in the Gulf. The plan has not been finalized, and there is no assurance that investors will commit to the fund. SoftBank would reportedly deploy AI systems, robotics and other advanced technologies across acquired businesses, with its physical-AI and robotics unit Roze expected to play an important role.
The effort would deepen Son’s already substantial exposure to the AI sector after SoftBank committed nearly $65 billion to OpenAI. The fundraising comes as SoftBank faces scrutiny over its borrowing costs and the scale of its AI commitments, including a recent $11.1 billion high-yield bond sale. Reuters said it could not immediately verify the Financial Times report, while SoftBank did not respond to a request for comment.
The proposed fund would echo SoftBank’s first Vision Fund, which attracted major backing from Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund and Abu Dhabi’s Mubadala in 2017, though that vehicle produced mixed results.