옵션 체인은 다양한 행사가격과 만기일에 대한 SoftBank Group의 주식 옵션 주요 데이터를 보여줍니다. 트레이더들은 이 정보를 사용하여 잠재적 거래를 분석하고 SoftBank Group에 대한 시장 심리를 평가합니다..

SoftBank Group (OTC:SFTBF) 주식, 옵션 체인

SoftBank is a Japan-based telecom and e-commerce conglomerate that has expanded mainly through acquisitions, and its key assets include a 40%-owned mobile and fixed broadband telecom operator business in Japan. It also owns 90% of semiconductor chip designer Arm Holdings following the 2023 IPO of this business, and has a vast portfolio of mainly internet- and e-commerce-focused early-stage investments. It is also general partner of the $100 billion SoftBank Vision Fund 1 and sole investor in SoftBank Vision Fund 2, both of which primarily invest in pre-IPO internet and AI companies.

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Arm 홀딩스(NASDAQ:ARM)는 말레이시아에 진출할 계획을 세우고 있으며, 이는 글로벌 반도체 산업의 주요 변화를 나타다. 안와르 이브라힘 말레이시아 총리는 이 소식을 확인하며, 말레이시아를 하이테크 대열로 도약시킬 수 있는 발전이라고 언급했다고 프리 말레이시아가 보도했다. 하지만, 막대한 투자가 이루어지는 만큼 큰 책임도 따른다. 말레이시아는 이 기회를 활용하기 위해 필요한 숙련된 인력을 양성할 수 있을까?

ARM의 말레이시아 대규모 투자: 이 국가가 이러한 도전을 충족할 수 있을까?

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UC 리버사이드(UC Riverside)와 캘텍(Caltech)의 새로운 연구에 따르면 빅테크 데이터센터의 오염으로 인해 지난 5년 동안 미국 공중 보건 시스템에 약 54억 달러의 비용이 발생했다. 알파벳(NASDAQ:GOOG)의 구글, 마이크로소프트(NASDAQ:MSFT), 메타 플랫폼스(NASDAQ:META)가 주요 기여자로 나타났다.

구글·마이크로소프트·메타, 미국 AI 데이터센터에서 발생한 오염으로 54억 달러 비용 발생

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틱톡의 소유주인 바이트댄스는 소프트뱅크 그룹(OTC:SFTBF)(OTC:SFTBY), 피델리티, 티 로우 프라이스(NASDAQ:TROW) 등 주요 투자자들에 힘입어 기업가치가 4천 억 달러를 넘어선 것으로 알려졌다. 

바이트댄스, 틱톡 비즈니스 위험에도 기업가치 4천억 달러 이상 평가

SOFTBANK GROUP CORP by Softbank Group Corp

SoftBank Group Corp

Arm Holdings Plc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ARM#NASDAQ">ARM</a>) is looking to put down roots in Malaysia, signaling a major shift in the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/semiconductors">global semiconductor landscape</a>. 
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim confirmed the news, calling it a development that could propel Malaysia into the high-tech big leagues, <a href="https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2025/02/28/uks-arm-holdings-keen-to-set-up-base-in-malaysia-says-pm/">reported</a> Free Malaysia Today. But, with great investment comes great responsibility. Can Malaysia build the skilled workforce needed to capitalize on this opportunity?
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">A Power Move With SoftBank In Tow</h2>
ARM's decision comes with the backing of SoftBank Group Corp (OTCPK:SFTBF), its parent company and CEO Masayoshi Son.
The move underscores Malaysia's rising appeal as a semiconductor hub, thanks to its political stability and investor-friendly policies. But this isn't just a ribbon-cutting ceremony, it's a high-stakes bet on the country's ability to deliver talent and infrastructure.
Read Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/media/25/02/43719655/arm-takes-on-its-own-customers-poaches-talent-competes-with-qualcomm-and-nvidia-for-ai-and-data-center-chip-deals-report">Arm Takes On Its Own Customers — Poaches Talent, Competes With Qualcomm And Nvidia For AI And Data Center Chip Deals: Report</a>
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">The Challenge: Bridging The Talent Gap</h2>
While ARM's arrival is a win for Malaysia, the challenge lies in preparing a workforce capable of driving innovation in chip design and manufacturing. 
Anwar didn't mince words—Malaysia must ramp up efforts to train young professionals or risk missing out on the full economic benefits of this partnership, <a href="https://smartphonemagazine.nl/en/2025/02/28/tech-giant-arm-holdings-set-to-bring-semiconductor-surge-to-malaysia/">reported</a> Smartphone Magazine.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">The Bigger Picture</h2>
ARM's expansion aligns with the broader geopolitical shift in semiconductor manufacturing. With the U.S.-China tech rivalry pushing companies to diversify supply chains, Malaysia finds itself in a sweet spot. If it plays its cards right, this deal could make it a key player in the global chip race.
For now, all eyes are on Malaysia. 
The question is: can Malaysia turn this golden opportunity into long-term success, or will it fumble at the starting line?
Read Next: 
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Photo: Shutterstock

ARM's Big Bet On Malaysia: Can The Nation Meet The Challenge?

A new study from UC Riverside and Caltech has found that pollution from Big Tech's data centers has cost the U.S. public health system an estimated $5.4 billion over the past five years. Alphabet Inc.'s (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOG#NASDAQ">GOOG</a>) (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOG#NASDAQ">GOOG</a>) Google, Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSFT#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>), and Meta Platforms Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/META#NASDAQ">META</a>) are among the biggest contributors.
What Happened: Data centers, which power artificial intelligence models and cloud computing, consume <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/partner/commodities/24/05/38814247/ai-data-center-power-requirements-increasing-demand-for-critical-materials-like-copper-and-ur">vast amounts of electricity</a>, much of it sourced from fossil fuels.
Air pollution linked to these energy demands has been tied to increased cases of cancer, asthma, and other illnesses, researchers found, <a href="https://www.ft.com/content/d595d5f6-79d1-47eb-b690-8597f09b39e7">reported</a> the Financial Times, citing the study.
In 2023 alone, public health costs from data center-related pollution were estimated at $1.5 billion, up 20% from the previous year.
Over the five years from 2019 to 2023, Google was responsible for the highest estimated health costs at $2.6 billion, followed by Microsoft at $1.6 billion and Meta at $1.2 billion.
Read Next:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/25/01/43221770/apples-ipad-turns-15-today-heres-a-throwback-to-when-steve-jobs-explained-called-it-the-third-category-after-phones-and-notebooks" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Apple&#8217;s iPad Turns 15 Today: Here&#8217;s A Throwback To When Steve Jobs Explained Called It The ‘Third Category&#8217; After Phones And Notebooks</a>
In response to the report, Google, Microsoft, and Meta pushed back on the findings, arguing that the research overestimated their pollution levels.&nbsp;
Google told the publication that the estimates "promote an inaccurate emissions estimate generated under false pretenses." Microsoft pointed to its sustainability efforts, while Meta reiterated its commitment to "net zero greenhouse gas emissions."
Google, Microsoft, and Meta did not immediately&nbsp;<a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/dashboard">Benzinga's</a> request for comments.
Subscribe to the&nbsp;<a href="https://bztechtrends.beehiiv.com/subscribe" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Benzinga Tech Trends newsletter</a>&nbsp;to get all the latest tech developments delivered to your inbox.
Why It Matters: The rapid expansion of AI infrastructure, fueled by Big Tech's multi-billion-dollar investments, is expected to further increase data center pollution, the report noted.
U.S. data centers accounted for 4% of the nation's electricity consumption in 2023, a figure that could rise to 12% by 2028, according to a Department of Energy-backed Berkeley Lab report.
"Unlike carbon emissions, the health impacts caused by a data center in one region cannot be offset by cleaner air elsewhere," said Shaolei Ren, associate professor at UC Riverside, underscoring the local impact of air pollution.
Ren suggested that tech companies could reduce the rising public health risk by building data centers in less populated areas. This would help minimize their impact.
Microsoft, Alphabet, Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMZN#NASDAQ">AMZN</a>), and Meta <a href="https://in.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/long-ideas/25/02/43564458/big-techs-2025-ai-bill-is-320-billion-and-counting-can-investors-stomach-it">expect to spend over $320 billion</a> on AI this year, up from $151 billion in 2023 and $246 billion in 2024. Last month, OpenAI and SoftBank Group (OTC:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SFTBY#OTC">SFTBY</a>) (OTC:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SFTBF#OTC">SFTBF</a>) also announced &#8220;Stargate,&#8221; a $500 billion AI infrastructure project in the U.S.
Check out more of Benzinga's Consumer Tech coverage by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/consumer-tech" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">following this link</a>.
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Disclaimer:&nbsp;This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
Photo courtesy: Shutterstock

Google, Microsoft, And Meta Linked To $5.4 Billion In Health Costs As AI Data Centers Fuel Pollution Crisis In The US: Report

ByteDance Ltd., the owner of TikTok, has reportedly seen its valuation climb past $400 billion, driven by major investors like SoftBank Group (OTC:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SFTBF#OTC">SFTBF</a>) (OTC:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SFTBY#OTC">SFTBY</a>), Fidelity, and T. Rowe Price (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TROW#NASDAQ">TROW</a>).
What Happened: At least three major investors have marked up ByteDance's valuation, with Fidelity estimating it at more than $410 billion and T. Rowe Price at over $450 billion.
SoftBank's Vision Fund has also revised its valuation to exceed $400 billion, factoring in the growth potential of ByteDance's AI business, Doubao, <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-02-21/softbank-fidelity-t-rowe-value-bytedance-at-above-400-billion?srnd=phx-technology">reported</a> Bloomberg, citing people familiar with the matter.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/25/02/43876492/apples-visual-intelligence-may-come-to-iphone-15-pro-heres-how-it-can-transform-your-camera-with-ai-powered-real-time-search">Apple&#8217;s Visual Intelligence May Come To iPhone 15 Pro: Here&#8217;s How It Can Transform Your Camera With AI-Powered Real-Time Search</a>
SoftBank's valuation model assigns zero value to <a href="https://in.benzinga.com/markets/25/02/43724471/tiktok-returns-to-apple-and-google-app-stores-after-a-month-long-hiatus">TikTok's U.S. operations</a>, reflecting ongoing regulatory threats. If TikTok avoids a shutdown in the U.S., ByteDance's valuation could rise even further, the report noted, citing a source.
The increase comes amid a broader rally in Chinese tech stocks, driven by optimism <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/25/02/43878215/chinas-deepseek-to-open-source-key-code-repositories-in-a-bid-for-full-transparency">around AI startup</a> DeepSeek and a more favorable regulatory environment in China.
Subscribe to the&nbsp;<a href="https://bztechtrends.beehiiv.com/subscribe" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Benzinga Tech Trends newsletter</a>&nbsp;to get all the latest tech developments delivered to your inbox.
Why It Matters: ByteDance's valuation surge highlights the growing importance of AI in the global tech sector, even as geopolitical tensions cloud its U.S. business prospects.
Investors are betting on ByteDance's AI leadership in China, where Doubao has 75 million active users.
In October 2023, ByteDance valued <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/11/42027476/bytedance-valuation-soars-to-300b-despite-threat-of-us-tiktok-ban">itself at around $225 billion</a>. This rose to $268 billion after a buyback in December 2023.
ByteDance investors see Donald Trump's return to the White House as a good sign for TikTok in the U.S. Although Trump once backed a ban on the app, he changed his position during his campaign.
Check out more of Benzinga&#8217;s Consumer Tech coverage by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/consumer-tech" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">following this link</a>.
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Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
Photo courtesy: Shutterstock

ByteDance's AI Business Helps Boost Valuation Past $400 Billion Even As US TikTok Business Risks Loom

<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/chip-stocks">British chip designer</a> Arm Holdings Plc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ARM#NASDAQ">ARM</a>) is reportedly entering the chip sales market, directly competing with its own clients, including Qualcomm Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/QCOM#NASDAQ">QCOM</a>) and Nvidia Corporation (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>), for AI and data center chip deals.
What Happened: Arm, traditionally known for licensing its intellectual property to tech giants like Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>) and Nvidia, is now looking to diversify its revenue streams by potentially selling its own chips.
Arm has been actively hiring executives from its licensees to support this new venture, reported Reuters, citing two sources familiar with the matter.
This strategic pivot could disrupt the industry, as Arm has traditionally been viewed as a neutral entity. The company&#8217;s legal battle with Qualcomm over licensing rates, <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42646386/qualcomm-scores-big-in-arm-lawsuit-will-bearish-trends-back-down">which Arm lost</a>, underscores the growing tensions, the report noted.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/25/01/42966025/softbank-backed-arm-plans-major-price-hike-apple-qualcomm-supplier-explores-chip-development">SoftBank-Backed Arm Plans Major Price Hike: Apple, Qualcomm Supplier Explores Chip Development</a>
Arm could also be positioning itself as a competitor to Nvidia, according to JP Morgan analyst Harlan Sur. In a research note published Thursday, Sur mentioned that Broadcom Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AVGO#NASDAQ">AVGO</a>) has secured a contract with Arm and its parent company SoftBank Group (OTC:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SFTBF#OTC">SFTBF</a>) (SFTBY).
The deal involves developing a specialized AI chip designed to power SoftBank's data centers in Japan, potentially generating $30 billion in revenue.
Why It Matters: Arm is reportedly in competition with Qualcomm to supply data center CPUs to Meta Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ARM#NASDAQ">ARM</a>) (META.O). Earlier in the day it was reported that Arm has already <a href="https://in.benzinga.com/25/02/43710498/arm-stock-rises-as-meta-becomes-first-customer-for-its-new-in-house-chip">secured a portion of this business</a>, although discussions between Meta and Qualcomm are still ongoing.
Arm&#8217;s stock has experienced a remarkable 155% surge since its <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/media/25/02/43676475/softbank-backed-arm-holdings-155-post-ipo-surge-bolstered-by-ai-growth-and-smartphone-integration">September 2023 IPO</a>, driven by AI growth and smartphone integration.
Earlier this month, Arm also confirmed its central role in the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/25/02/43521100/arm-confirms-central-role-in-100-billion-stargate-ai-infrastructure-project-with-openai-oracle">$100 billion Stargate AI infrastructure project</a> with OpenAI and Oracle.
Price Action: Arm&#8217;s shares rose 0.1% in after-hours trading, hitting $165. Earlier on Thursday, the stock closed at $164.83, marking a 6.06% gain, according to <a href="http://pro.benzinga.com/">Benzinga Pro data</a>.
Image via Shutterstock
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Disclaimer:&nbsp;This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

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Arm Takes On Its Own Customers — Poaches Talent, Competes With Qualcomm And Nvidia For AI And Data Center Chip Deals: Report

<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/chip-stocks" rel="noreferrer noopener">British chip designer</a> Arm Holdings Plc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ARM#NASDAQ">ARM</a>) stock has surged over 155% since its September 2023 initial public offering, making way to the Nasdaq 100 index. Arm chip designs mainly cater to smartphones, including&nbsp;Apple Inc&#8217;s (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>) iPhone.
CEO&nbsp;Rene Haas&nbsp;proclaimed the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/24/06/39470998/arm-holdings-ceo-rene-haas-says-experts-underestimated-the-rapid-growth-of-ai-the-analysts-maybe" rel="noreferrer noopener">potential of AI</a> to drive growth in the smartphone and Arm sectors.
Also Read: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/25/02/43653433/softbank-q3-earnings-revenue-rises-vision-fund-takes-2-33-billion-hit-as-investments-falter" rel="noreferrer noopener">SoftBank Q3 Earnings: Revenue Rises, Vision Fund Takes $2.33 Billion Hit As Investments Falter</a>
Arm Holdings stock gained 26% year-to-date versus the S&amp;P Semiconductors Select Industry Index&#8217;s 4.3% decline.
<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="750" height="650" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/12135339/newplot-8.png" alt="" class="wp-image-779449" srcset="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/12135339/newplot-8.png 750w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/12135339/newplot-8-300x260.png 300w" sizes="(max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px" /></figure>
Haas aims for Arm <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/06/39157897/whats-going-on-with-arm-holdings-stock-tuesday" rel="noreferrer noopener">to capture over</a> 50% of the Windows PC market within five years and envisions 100 billion AI-ready Arm devices&nbsp;worldwide by 2025. In 2024, Microsoft Corp (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSFT#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>) <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/09/40687996/microsofts-ai-pcs-stumble-with-game-compatibility-report" rel="noreferrer noopener">launched Windows PCs</a> with AI capabilities powered by Arm chips to intensify the rivalry with Apple&#8217;s Mac lineup.
Amazon.Com Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMZN#NASDAQ">AMZN</a>) and Alphabet Inc&#8217;s (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOG#NASDAQ">GOOG</a>) (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOGL#NASDAQ">GOOGL</a>) Google remain invested in building out new data centers bypassing Intel Corp&#8217;s (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/INTC#NASDAQ">INTC</a>) x86 and are instead using a combination of Arm architecture and their <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/01/42826372/intel-struggles-to-compete-with-amd-and-nvidia-in-data-centers-and-ai-chips" rel="noreferrer noopener">in-house chip</a> designs. Arm-based chips are increasingly taking center stage in Nvidia Corp&#8217;s (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>) current-generation AI systems.
Arm sustained gross margins of 95%-96% by designing and licensing semiconductor intellectual property instead of manufacturing physical chips.
This enables it to earn upfront fees and ongoing royalties for each chip sold using its designs.&nbsp;Arm&#8217;s research and development margin increased to 61% in fiscal 2024 from 42% a year ago.
Arm&#8217;s positive catalysts: Last week, CEO&nbsp;Rene Haas&nbsp;declared Arm&#8217;s expanding role in AI infrastructure through its involvement in&nbsp;OpenAI&#8217;s $100 billion Stargate AI infrastructure project. It also plans to boost prices by up to 300% and has discussed <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/25/01/42966025/softbank-backed-arm-plans-major-price-hike-apple-qualcomm-supplier-explores-chip-development" rel="noreferrer noopener">manufacturing its chips</a>.
Reportedly, Arm has been strategizing since 2019 to raise its annual smartphone revenue by ~$1 billion over a decade to boost royalty rates for its latest Armv9 computing architecture.
Haas has&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/25/01/42966025/softbank-backed-arm-plans-major-price-hike-apple-qualcomm-supplier-explores-chip-development" rel="noreferrer noopener">explored producing complete</a> chips or chipsets, posing as a rival to its current customers, Apple and Qualcomm. However, the British chip designer is involved in a licensing disagreement between Arm&nbsp;and Qualcomm Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/QCOM#NASDAQ">QCOM</a>), reportedly&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/24/06/39470998/arm-holdings-ceo-rene-haas-says-experts-underestimated-the-rapid-growth-of-ai-the-analysts-maybe" rel="noreferrer noopener">threatening to disrupt</a> the shipment of new AI-powered laptops.
Wall Street analysts, including Raymond James&#8216; Srini Pajjuri,&nbsp;expressed <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/25/02/43540659/arms-rising-royalties-and-v9-adoption-strengthen-market-position-analysts-say" rel="noreferrer noopener">optimism over Armv9 CPU</a> architecture and the progress of compute subsystems (CSS), which essentially doubles the royalty rate, fueling continued strong double-digit growth. They expect the emergence of AI agents and efficient AI models (such as DeepSeek) to be significant positives for Arm.
Needham&#8217;s Charles Shi&nbsp;noted the company is overdelivering the fiscal 2025 targets set during the IPO and transition from licensing-driven growth to royalty-driven growth.
Analysts also flagged exposure to China (historically accounted for 20% of Arm&#8217;s overall sales) and ongoing smartphone, networking, and auto-cyclical headwinds.
Meanwhile, Arm China <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/01/43298802/arm-china-eyes-leadership-change-ai-boom-and-us-china-chip-wars-reshape-the-industry" rel="noreferrer noopener">tapped Chen Feng</a> as sole CEO after co-CEOs Liu Renchen&nbsp;and&nbsp;Eric Chen stepped down. The co-CEOs have served as interim leaders of Arm China since the company terminated&nbsp;Allen Wu in 2022 for&nbsp;alleged conflicts of interest.&nbsp;
Japanese conglomerate SoftBank Group Corp (OTC:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SFTBF#OTC">SFTBF</a>) (OTC:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SFTBY#OTC">SFTBY</a>) snapped Arm in 2016 <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/large-cap/23/09/34593085/is-arm-a-buy-after-record-ipo-ceo-insights-ongoing-lawsuit-and-financials" rel="noreferrer noopener">for $32 billion</a>. SoftBank retained 90% of its ownership in Arm.
Price Actions: ARM stock closed at $155.41 on Wednesday.
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</ul>
Photo via Shutterstock

GOOGL

INTC

Softbank-Backed Arm Holdings 155% Post-IPO Surge Bolstered by AI Growth and Smartphone Integration

<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/softbank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Japanese investment holding company</a> SoftBank Group Corp (OTC:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SFTBF#OTC">SFTBF</a>) (OTC:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SFTBY#OTC">SFTBY</a>) reported third-quarter net sales of 1.83 trillion yen ($12.11 billion), up from 1.77 trillion yen a year ago. SoftBank segment net sales grew 5.2% to 1.66 trillion yen ($10.96 billion). Arm Holdings (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ARM#NASDAQ">ARM</a>) net sales grew 22.9% to 148.7 billion yen ($0.98 billion).
Loss before tax for the company was 190.2 billion yen.
Also Read: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/government/regulations/25/02/43458397/sam-altman-in-korea-openai-seeks-ai-deals-with-samsung-sk-hynix-and-softbank-amid-global-ai-boom" rel="noreferrer noopener">Sam Altman in Korea: OpenAI Seeks AI Deals With Samsung, SK Hynix, and SoftBank Amid Global AI Boom</a>
The net loss was 369.1 billion yen (or $2.44 billion loss) compared to a profit of 950 million yen a year ago. Loss on investments was 481 billion yen (or $3.18 billion loss).
Vision Fund investments reported a 352.75 billion yen loss (or $2.33 billion loss), compared to a profit of 600.73 billion yen a year ago. The segment reported a 309.93 billion yen loss (or $2.05 billion loss) versus a profit of 422.74 billion yen.
SoftBank reported a segment income of 224.1 billion yen (or $1.48 billion) versus 196.3 billion yen a year ago. Arm&#8217;s segment income is 13.4 billion yen (or $0.09 billion) compared to a loss of 8 billion yen a year ago.
In January, the Trump Administration announced an&nbsp;AI infrastructure joint venture&nbsp;in the U.S. dubbed &#8220;Stargate,&#8221; comprising &nbsp;OpenAI,&nbsp;SoftBank Group,&nbsp;Oracle Corp (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ORCL#NYSE">ORCL</a>), and Abu Dhabi&#8217;s&nbsp;MGX. The venture will deploy $100 billion initially and up to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/01/43139410/softbanks-role-in-500-billion-stargate-ai-venture-seen-as-major-growth-driver-analyst-says" rel="noreferrer noopener">$500 billion over</a> the next four years.
Masayoshi Son of SoftBank and President Donald Trump announced in December plans for SoftBank to invest in the U.S. over the next four years while creating 100,000 jobs focused on &#8220;AI and related infrastructure.&#8221;
SoftBank offloaded its entire stake in Alibaba Group Holdings (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BABA#NYSE">BABA</a>) in 2024 to <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/24/05/38791106/softbank-group-offloads-entire-alibaba-stake-after-jack-ma-founded-company-causes-6-16b-loss" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">focus on AI investments</a>.
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</ul>
Photo by NP27 on Shutterstock.

Earnings

Equities

BABA

ORCL

SoftBank Q3 Earnings: Revenue Rises, Vision Fund Takes $2.33 Billion Hit As Investments Falter

SoftBank Group (OTC:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SFTBY#OTC">SFTBY</a>) reported quarterly losses of $(0.83) per share. This is a 138.07 percent decrease over earnings of $2.18 per share from the same period last year. The company reported $12.03 billion in sales this quarter. This is a 0.16 percent increase over sales of $12.01 billion the same period last year.

SoftBank Group Q3 EPS $(0.83) Down From $2.18 YoY, Sales $12.03B Up From $12.01B YoY

Marvell Technology, Inc.&#8217;s (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MRVL#NASDAQ">MRVL</a>) stock has surged about 350% in the last five years as the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/artificial-intelligence" rel="noreferrer noopener">artificial intelligence frenzy</a> has triggered demand for hardware and infrastructure.
The company supplies data infrastructure semiconductor solutions, spanning the data center core to the network edge. It is a fabless semiconductor supplier of high-performance standard and semi-custom products with core strengths in developing and scaling complex System-on-a-Chip architectures, integrating analog, mixed-signal, and digital signal processing functionality.
Also Read: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43570917/cloudflares-ai-expansion-and-enterprise-growth-set-the-stage-for-big-gains-analysts" rel="noreferrer noopener">Buy Cloudflare Or Sell? Analysts Vary Over Sales Acceleration And Business Momentum</a>
Its solutions empower the data economy and enable the data center, enterprise networking, carrier infrastructure, consumer, and automotive/industrial end markets.
Aswath Damodaran of the Stern School of Business at New York University flagged how computer chips have become part of every consumer good in the last four decades, from <a target="_blank" href="https://aswathdamodaran.substack.com/p/ais-winners-losers-and-wannabes-valuing" rel="noreferrer noopener">appliances to automobiles</a>.
He noted that semiconductor chip customers have also shifted from personal computers to smartphones, with demand emerging from automobile, crypto, and gaming companies in the last decade.
Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>) became the first <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/19/10/14589580/apple-microsoft-battle-for-position-as-worlds-most-valuable-company-by-market-cap" rel="noreferrer noopener">trillion-dollar company</a> in 2018 as its iPhones gained traction. It is currently worth over $3.4 trillion. Nvidia Corp (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>) hit the trillion-dollar market cap in 2024 and is currently worth ~ $ $3.2 trillion, backed by its AI processors.
Damodaran also said that data processing has emerged as a demand driver. He highlighted the potential upside of the automobile business, backed by automated driving and other enhancements.
Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>) also reached a trillion-dollar valuation, supported by Elon Musk&#8217;s EVs and autonomous driving technology.
Reportedly, a third of the ten global companies worth <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/media/25/01/42762874/broadcom-thrives-with-114-stock-surge-in-ai-boom-while-intel-faces-steep-decline" rel="noreferrer noopener">over $1 trillion</a> came from the chip industry, as 2024 proved immensely beneficial for the U.S. semiconductor sector.
For Marvell, China accounted for 42%- 44% of its revenue between fiscal <a target="_blank" href="https://app.quotemedia.com/data/downloadFiling?webmasterId=101533&amp;ref=318157157&amp;type=HTML&amp;symbol=MRVL&amp;cdn=36dc57774e0f888a3d7612adedcf3e12&amp;companyName=Marvell+Technology+Inc.&amp;formType=10-K&amp;dateFiled=2024-03-13" rel="noreferrer noopener">2022 and 2024</a>, while the U.S. generated 11%- 14%.
The company reported a 7% decline in fiscal 2024 revenue after a 33% growth in fiscal 2023 due to a decrease in sales in the majority of its end markets, including data center, enterprise networking, consumer, and carrier infrastructure, partially offset by growth in the automotive/industrial end market.
The decline coincides with the slowdown in Chinese demand, which impacted the company&#8217;s gross margin, which remained at 42% in fiscal 2024 versus 50% in 2023.
Semiconductor companies have adopted organic growth strategies (e.g., investing in research and development, product innovation, and operational efficiency improvements) or inorganic growth strategies (via acquisitions, mergers, or strategic partnerships) to expand their market share.
R&amp;D consumed 32%- 34% of Marvell&#8217;s revenue between fiscal 2022 and 2024, compared to bigger rival Broadcom Inc&#8217;s (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AVGO#NASDAQ">AVGO</a>) 15%- 18%. In absolute terms, Broadcom&#8217;s <a target="_blank" href="https://investors.broadcom.com/financial-information/annual-reports" rel="noreferrer noopener">R&amp;D stood at</a> $9.3 billion in fiscal 2024 on revenue of $51.6 billion versus Marvell&#8217;s R&amp;D at $1.9 billion on revenue of $5.5 billion.
In relative terms, Marvell&#8217;s R&amp;D margin is comparable to that of British chip designer Arm Holdings (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ARM#NASDAQ">ARM</a>). Arm&#8217;s fiscal 2024 <a target="_blank" href="https://investors.arm.com/financials/sec-filings" rel="noreferrer noopener">R&amp;D margin stood</a> at 61% on revenue of $3.23 billion. Still, Marvell posted a gross margin of above 40%, which is testimony to its pricing power or moat.
Marvell stock surged over 57% in the last 12 months, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.spglobal.com/spdji/en/indices/equity/sp-global-semiconductor-index/#overview" rel="noreferrer noopener">topping</a> S&amp;P Global Semiconductor Index&#8217;s 11%. Marvell commands an EV/EBITDA multiple of 262.5x versus Arm&#8217;s 283.1x and Broadcom&#8217;s 47.9x.
Marvell&#8217;s dividend yield is 0.20%, compared to 1.00% for Broadcom or 0.5% for Micron Technology, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MU#NASDAQ">MU</a>).
Marvell&#8217;s inorganic growth strategies include mergers and acquisitions. On October 5, 2021, Marvell completed the acquisition of Innovium, Inc., a provider of networking solutions for cloud and edge data centers, for $1.0 billion. On April 20, 2021, Marvell completed the acquisition of Inphi, a provider of <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/m-a/20/10/18135863/marvell-confirms-merger-with-chipmaker-inphi-to-create-40b-entity" rel="noreferrer noopener">high-speed data movement</a> enabled by optical interconnects, for $9.9 billion.&nbsp;
Marvell&#8217;s operating cash flow, net of capital expenditures, helped it generate $1.02 billion in free cash flow as of February 3, 2024, compared to $1.07 billion in 2023 and $632 million in 2022.
Excess cash flows above capex help a company pay dividends and/or buyback shares, thereby adding to shareholder value. A company may also use the surplus funds for acquisitions and debt repayment to fuel growth.
Marvell&#8217;s positive AI catalysts for 2025: OpenAI,&nbsp;SoftBank Corp (OTC:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SFTBF#OTC">SFTBF</a>) (OTC:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SFTBY#OTC">SFTBY</a>), and&nbsp;Oracle Corp (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ORCL#NYSE">ORCL</a>) launched a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/01/43127416/anthropic-gains-big-with-google-backing-aiming-for-60-billion-valuation-and-surging-ai-revenue" rel="noreferrer noopener">$500 billion joint venture</a>, Stargate, to build AI infrastructure in the U.S.
Microsoft Corp (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSFT#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>) committed $80 billion for AI-driven data centers. Alphabet Inc&#8216;s (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOG#NASDAQ">GOOG</a>) (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOGL#NASDAQ">GOOGL</a>) Google&nbsp;earmarked over $1 billion for its OpenAI rival Anthropic.
BofA Securities Vivek Arya <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/25/02/43570410/broadcoms-trillion-dollar-run-analyst-expects-asic-to-take-10-15-market-share-backed-by-ai-compute-demand" rel="noreferrer noopener">expressed optimism over</a> AI infrastructure providers like Marvell, which are backed by AI compute/networking demand. He expects Application-Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC) vendors like Marvell and Broadcom (which hit the trillion dollars market cap in 2024) to bag over a 10%-15% share of the overall accelerator market as Nvidia GPUs dominate with their 80%+ share.
JPMorgan&#8217;s&nbsp;Harlan Sur noted that Marvell is <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/25/01/42859614/jpmorgan-sees-marvells-ai-revenue-surge-with-2-billion-run-rate-in-networking-by-2025" rel="noreferrer noopener">well-positioned to</a> significantly exceed its previous AI target of $2.5 billion in calendar 2025. This is backed by AI optical/copper networking products and two AI ASIC programs for&nbsp;Amazon.Com Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMZN#NASDAQ">AMZN</a>), Amazon Web Services, and&nbsp;Google.
Marvell is a holding in 200 US-traded&nbsp;ETFs. Investors can gain exposure to the stock through Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/VTI#NYSE">VTI</a>)
and Invesco QQQ Trust, Series 1 (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/QQQ#NASDAQ">QQQ</a>).
MRVL&nbsp;Price Action: Marvell Technology stock closed up by 1.97% to $112.50 on Monday.
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Photo via Shutterstock

MRVL

TSLA

Behind Marvell Tech's Multi-Fold Growth: R&D, Acquisitions And AI Infrastructure

On Tuesday, a federal judge decided that parts of Elon Musk&#8217;s lawsuit against OpenAI will advance to trial. This legal battle centers on Musk&#8217;s efforts to halt OpenAI&#8217;s transition to <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/legal/24/12/42493076/openai-challenges-musks-lawsuit-reveals-2017-profit-talks">a for-profit model</a>.
What Happened: U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers, based in Oakland, California, said Musk will be required to testify in court, reported Reuters.
&#8220;Something is going to trial in this case,&#8221; she stated, indicating that a jury will ultimately determine the outcome.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/25/02/43453553/palantirs-shyam-sankar-us-is-at-war-with-china-in-ai-and-the-time-to-act-was-yesterday">Palantir&#8217;s Shyam Sankar: US Is At War With China In AI—And The Time To Act Was &#8216;Yesterday&#8217;</a>
The lawsuit, initiated by Musk last year, contests OpenAI&#8217;s shift from a nonprofit to a for-profit organization. Musk argues that the original mission was to develop AI for the benefit of humanity, not for profit.
OpenAI, which was co-founded by Musk in 2015, maintains that the transition is crucial to secure funding for AI development.
Subscribe to the&nbsp;<a href="https://bztechtrends.beehiiv.com/subscribe" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Benzinga Tech Trends newsletter</a>&nbsp;to get all the latest tech developments delivered to your inbox.
Why It Matters: Last year in December, OpenAI <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42712683/openai-lays-out-its-for-profit-transition-plans-says-it-must-evolve-to-advance-its-agi-mission">outlined its plans to evolve</a> into a Delaware Public Benefit Corporation (PBC) to align with its mission of ensuring artificial general intelligence (AGI) benefits all humanity.
OpenAI&#8217;s fundraising efforts, including a $6.6 billion round in October and a potential <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/01/43327823/softbank-eyes-historic-25-billion-investment-in-openai-poised-to-dethrone-microsoft-as-chatgpt-parents-biggest-investor">$25 billion round</a> with SoftBank Group (OTC:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SFTBF#OTC">SFTBF</a>) (OTC:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SFTBY#OTC">SFTBY</a>), depend on this restructuring.
Last month it was reported that SoftBank was in talks to lead a new funding round for OpenAI, potentially <a href="https://in.benzinga.com/media/25/01/43374528/softbank-may-lead-openais-40-billion-funding-round-at-a-300-billion-valuation-despite-deepseek-disruption-report">raising up to $40 billion</a>. This investment would value the ChatGPT-maker at $300 billion.
Photo courtesy: Shutterstock
Check out more of Benzinga&#8217;s Consumer Tech coverage by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/consumer-tech" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">following this link</a>.
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Disclaimer:&nbsp;This content was partially produced with the help of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/author/benzinga-neuro" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Benzinga Neuro</a>&nbsp;and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

Legal

ChatGPT-Maker OpenAI's Future Hangs In The Balance As Judge Says Elon Musk's Lawsuit Will Partially Go To Trial

OpenAI chief Sam Altman, currently in Korea, wants to meet with Samsung Electronics (OTC:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SSNLF#OTC">SSNLF</a>) Chair Lee Yong and SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son on Tuesday.
SoftBank agreed to set up a joint venture in Japan with OpenAI to offer AI services to corporate customers, Reuters reports. The joint venture, dubbed SB OpenAI Japan, will be owned by OpenAI, a company established by SoftBank and its domestic telecoms arm. SoftBank will pay $3 billion annually to use OpenAI&#8217;s technology across Softbank group companies.
OpenAI and SoftBank may ask Samsung to invest in their Stargate venture project, the Korea Herald <a target="_blank" href="https://www.koreaherald.com/article/10411658" rel="noreferrer noopener">reports</a>.
In January 2024, Altman visited Samsung&#8217;s production facility in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province. Altman had voiced plans to develop such AI-specific hardware via a partnership.
The industrialists will likely discuss potential collaboration on advanced AI technology, including producing an AI-specific device.
The <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/artificial-intelligence-stocks" rel="noreferrer noopener">artificial intelligence frenzy</a> is in no mood to slow down as global companies forge partnerships to integrate technology into various operations.
Donald Trump&#8217;s second time as the US President was <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/01/43139410/softbanks-role-in-500-billion-stargate-ai-venture-seen-as-major-growth-driver-analyst-says" rel="noreferrer noopener">well-timed with</a> the $500 billion &#8220;Stargate&#8221; AI venture with OpenAI, SoftBank Group Corp (OTC:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SFTBF#OTC">SFTBF</a>) (OTC:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SFTBY#OTC">SFTBY</a>), Oracle Corp (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ORCL#NYSE">ORCL</a>), and Abu Dhabi&#8217;s MGX.
Alphabet Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOG#NASDAQ">GOOG</a>) (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOGL#NASDAQ">GOOGL</a>) Google earmarked over $1 billion in OpenAI rival Anthropic, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/01/43127416/anthropic-gains-big-with-google-backing-aiming-for-60-billion-valuation-and-surging-ai-revenue" rel="noreferrer noopener">intensifying competition with</a> Microsoft Corp (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSFT#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>) and Amazon.Com Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMZN#NASDAQ">AMZN</a>).
Also Read: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/25/01/43382010/samsung-q4-earnings-12-revenue-growth-closes-gap-with-apple-in-premium-phones-eyes-ai-powered-growth-in-2025" rel="noreferrer noopener">Samsung Q4 Earnings: 12% Revenue Growth, Closes Gap With Apple In Premium Phones, Eyes AI-Powered Growth In 2025</a>
Anthropic was also on the verge of securing a further $2 billion from Silicon Valley venture capital investors in a deal likely to triple the start-up&#8217;s valuation to about $60 billion versus OpenAI&#8217;s $157 billion valuation. Like Meta Platforms Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/META#NASDAQ">META</a>) and Microsoft, OpenAI and Elon Musk&#8217;s xAI raised over $10 billion in 2024.
Altman also met Samsung rival SK Hynix Chair Chey Tae-won and CEO Kwak Noh-jung to discuss potential collaboration on AI memory chips, including high bandwidth memory AI services, the Korea Herald <a target="_blank" href="https://www.koreaherald.com/article/10411364" rel="noreferrer noopener">reported</a>, citing unnamed sources familiar with the matter. This meeting followed the previous discussions between Chey and Altman in Seoul in January 2024 and in the US in July.
Also Read:
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/management/25/02/43440540/samsungs-jay-y-lee-acquitted-shifting-focus-to-business-challenges" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Samsung&#8217;s Jay Y. Lee Acquitted, Shifting Focus To Business Challenges</a></li>
</ul>
Photo via Shutterstock

Government

Regulations

SSNLF

Sam Altman in Korea: OpenAI Seeks AI Deals With Samsung, SK Hynix, and SoftBank Amid Global AI Boom

On Sunday, OpenAI revealed a new feature for ChatGPT called &#8220;deep research,&#8221; which autonomously plans and executes multi-step data searches.
What Happened: This feature allows users to input questions using text, images, and files like PDFs or spreadsheets. It takes five to 30 minutes to generate a response but goes beyond text generation.
The deep research feature displays a sidebar summary that outlines its research process, includes citations, and provides a reference overview.
See Also:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/25/01/43377716/tesla-employee-headcount-drops-after-april-layoff" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Tesla Reports Over 10% Employee Reduction By Year-End Following April Layoffs</a>
However, despite its capabilities, OpenAI acknowledges that deep research can sometimes &#8220;hallucinate&#8221; or confuse authoritative information with rumors.
The tool is designed to operate at a research analyst level, but it is still refining its accuracy and reliability.
OpenAI&#8217;s deep research is available for Pro users, offering up to 100 queries per month <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/24/12/42356469/openai-unveils-200-chatgpt-pro-subscription-inside-the-o1-reasoning-model-and-what-it-means-for-power-users">for a $200 fee</a>. Limited access is also available for Plus, Team, and Enterprise users.
The model powering deep research achieved a 26.6% accuracy on an AI benchmark, surpassing previous models, said OpenAI.
Subscribe to the&nbsp;<a href="https://bztechtrends.beehiiv.com/subscribe" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Benzinga Tech Trends newsletter</a>&nbsp;to get all the latest tech developments delivered to your inbox.
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Why It Matters: Last week, OpenAI launched the o3-mini model, which promises exceptional capabilities in science, math, and coding, <a href="https://in.benzinga.com/tech/25/02/43418650/openai-launches-o3-mini-model-makes-it-free-after-deepseeks-launch">while keeping costs low</a>. This model is part of OpenAI&#8217;s reasoning series and is available on both ChatGPT and the API.
OpenAI&#8217;s latest developments also include the debut of Operator, an AI agent capable of <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/01/43186741/openai-debuts-operator-ai-agent-that-performs-web-tasks-but-early-error-has-sam-altman-scrambling-for-a-quick-fix">autonomously performing web tasks</a>. This agent integrates GPT-4o's vision capabilities with advanced reasoning through reinforcement learning.
Meanwhile, SoftBank Group Corp. (OTC:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SFTBF#OTC">SFTBF</a>) (OTC:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SFTBY#OTC">SFTBY</a>) is reportedly in talks to lead a new $40 billion funding round for OpenAI, which could <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/media/25/01/43374528/softbank-may-lead-openais-40-billion-funding-round-at-a-300-billion-valuation-despite-deepseek-disruption-report">value the company at</a> $300 billion.
Image via Shutterstock
Check out more of Benzinga&#8217;s Consumer Tech coverage by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/consumer-tech" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">following this link</a>.
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Disclaimer:&nbsp;This content was partially produced with the help of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/author/benzinga-neuro" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Benzinga Neuro</a>&nbsp;and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

OpenAI's 'Deep Research' Promises AI-Powered Analysis — Here's What It Can (And Can't) Do

SoftBank Group (OTC:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SFTBF#OTC">SFTBF</a>) (OTC:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SFTBY#OTC">SFTBY</a>) is reportedly in discussions to spearhead a new funding round for OpenAI, potentially raising up to $40 billion.
What Happened: This investment would value the ChatGPT-maker at $300 billion, marking a record-setting funding round for a private entity, reported Reuters, citing sources.
As per the report, SoftBank assessed OpenAI&#8217;s value at $260 billion before the funding round, a notable increase <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/10/41149788/openai-valuation-soars-to-157b-in-latest-funding-round">from $157 billion just months ago</a>.
See Also:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/01/43295689/tesla-gears-up-for-q4-print-here-are-the-recent-forecast-changes-from-wall-streets-most-accurate-analysts" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Tesla Gears Up For Q4 Print; Here Are The Recent Forecast Changes From Wall Street's Most Accurate Analysts</a>
Earlier on Thursday, the Wall Street Journal also <a href="https://www.wsj.com/tech/ai/openaiin-talks-for-huge-investment-round-valuing-it-up-to-300-billion-2a2d4327">reported</a> that OpenAI could be valued at around $340 billion with this funding round.
Subscribe to the <a href="https://bztechtrends.beehiiv.com/subscribe">Benzinga Tech Trends newsletter</a> to get all the latest tech developments delivered to your inbox.
Why It Matters: Previously, it was reported that <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/01/43327823/softbank-eyes-historic-25-billion-investment-in-openai-poised-to-dethrone-microsoft-as-chatgpt-parents-biggest-investor">SoftBank might invest</a> $15 billion to $25 billion directly into OpenAI. This investment would represent a significant commitment for SoftBank and its CEO, Masayoshi Son, who has approximately $30 billion in cash reserves.
It could make it the largest stakeholder in OpenAI, surpassing Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSFT#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>), which has invested nearly $14 billion.
The move comes as DeepSeek, a Chinese startup, has said it developed its cost-effective R1 model <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/25/01/43327016/microsoft-ceo-satya-nadella-accepts-deepseek-ai-has-some-real-innovations-but-wont-say-if-they-mark-a-turning-point-for-ai-cost-reduction">in just two months</a>, investing $5.6 million and using lower-end Nvidia Corporation (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>) chips.
<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/01/43296041/openai-alleges-deepseek-used-proprietary-models-without-permission-as-microsoft-investigates-ai-security-risks">OpenAI has accused DeepSeek</a> of using its proprietary models without authorization.
Photo by NP27 on Shutterstock.
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Disclaimer:&nbsp;This content was partially produced with the help of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/author/benzinga-neuro" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Benzinga Neuro</a>&nbsp;and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

SoftBank May Lead OpenAI's $40 Billion Funding Round At A $300 Billion Valuation Despite DeepSeek Disruption: Report

SoftBank Group (OTC:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SFTBF#OTC">SFTBF</a>) (OTC:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SFTBY#OTC">SFTBY</a>) is reportedly negotiating a potential investment of $15 billion to $25 billion in OpenAI. This move could make SoftBank the largest investor in the ChatGPT creator, surpassing Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSFT#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>), which has <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42664762/after-investing-nearly-14-billion-in-openai-microsoft-reportedly-moves-to-reduce-its-dependence-on-chatgpt-parent">invested nearly $14 billion</a>.
What Happened: The investment would support OpenAI&#8217;s commitment to the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/01/43139410/softbanks-role-in-500-billion-stargate-ai-venture-seen-as-major-growth-driver-analyst-says">Stargate AI infrastructure project</a>, a joint venture with companies like SoftBank, Oracle Corp. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ORCL#NYSE">ORCL</a>), and the UAE&#8217;s MGX fund, <a href="https://www.wsj.com/tech/softbank-in-talks-to-invest-up-to-25-billion-in-openai-03d653fc?mod=mhp">reported</a> the Wall Street Journal, citing a person familiar with the matter.
Stargate plans to invest up to $500 billion in AI data centers over the next four years. SoftBank&#8217;s funding for OpenAI would be separate from its planned $15 billion investment in the Stargate initiative.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/25/01/43327016/microsoft-ceo-satya-nadella-accepts-deepseek-ai-has-some-real-innovations-but-wont-say-if-they-mark-a-turning-point-for-ai-cost-reduction">Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella Accepts DeepSeek AI Has Some &#8216;Real Innovations&#8217; — But Won&#8217;t Say If They Mark A Turning Point For AI Cost Reduction</a>
Despite the potential investment, SoftBank would hold a smaller stake in OpenAI&#8217;s for-profit division compared to Microsoft, due to the latter's earlier investments, the report noted
Why It Matters: Last year, OpenAI&#8217;s valuation surged to $157 billion following a<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/10/41149788/openai-valuation-soars-to-157b-in-latest-funding-round"> $6.6 billion funding round</a>. At that time, the Tokyo-based conglomerate SoftBank invested $500 million in OpenAI.
Subscribe to the&nbsp;<a href="https://bztechtrends.beehiiv.com/subscribe" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Benzinga Tech Trends newsletter</a>&nbsp;to get all the latest tech developments delivered to your inbox.
Elon Musk's xAI has also quickly expanded, reaching an estimated valuation of $50 billion in 2024.
Perplexity AI, supported by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos in December raised $500 million in a funding round, boosting its <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/24/12/42570376/jeff-bezos-backed-perplexity-raises-500-million-tripling-its-valuation-to-9-billion-as-competition-with-google-and-openai-heats-up">valuation to $9 billion</a>.
Anthropic, backed by Google, is also reportedly in late-stage discussions to secure $2 billion in funding, which would push its <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/01/43127416/anthropic-gains-big-with-google-backing-aiming-for-60-billion-valuation-and-surging-ai-revenue">valuation to $60 billion</a>.
Photo by NP27 on Shutterstock.
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Disclaimer:&nbsp;This content was partially produced with the help of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/author/benzinga-neuro" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Benzinga Neuro</a>&nbsp;and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

SoftBank Eyes Historic $25 Billion Investment In OpenAI, Set To Dethrone Microsoft As Biggest Investor In ChatGPT-Parent

On Wednesday, Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSFT#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>) CEO Satya Nadella addressed Elon Musk&#8217;s skepticism about the ambitious Project Stargate's <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/25/01/43121798/elon-musk-says-project-stargate-doesnt-actually-have-the-money-after-trump-announces-500-billion-ai-investment-led-by-softbank-oracle-and-openai">$100 billion funding potential</a>.
What Happened: In an interview with CNBC, Nadella said, "All I know is, I'm good for my $80 billion," referencing <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/01/42801720/microsoft-to-invest-80-billion-in-ai-data-centers-for-fiscal-2025">Microsoft's annual investment</a> in AI and cloud infrastructure.
This allocation will ensure Azure's global capabilities continue to expand, including support for OpenAI's models, he noted.
See Also:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/01/43151196/samsung-google-team-up-to-develop-ar-glasses-entering-the-race-against-meta-and-apple">Samsung, Google Team Up On AR Glasses Development, Duo To Enter Race Against Meta And Apple</a>
&#8220;Any time a company that you've supported, and essentially were seed investor, raises money from others, it's a good day,&#8221; said Nadella, when asked how this venture can benefit Microsoft.
&#8220;It's a good day for OpenAI and a good day for Microsoft and our investors. Our partnership continues. We will be a tech partner to Stargate,&#8221; he added.
During the interview, Nadella was also asked about concerns raised by Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff regarding potential competition between Microsoft and OpenAI.
In response, the Microsoft CEO reiterated that the collaboration with ChatGPT-parent is foundational and mutually beneficial.&nbsp;
Subscribe to the&nbsp;<a href="https://bztechtrends.beehiiv.com/subscribe" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Benzinga Tech Trends newsletter</a>&nbsp;to get all the latest tech developments delivered to your inbox.
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Why It Matter: The Stargate project, a joint venture between OpenAI, SoftBank Group (OTC:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SFTBY#OTC">SFTBY</a>) (OTC:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SFTBF#OTC">SFTBF</a>), and Oracle Corp. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ORCL#NYSE">ORCL</a>), has drawn scrutiny over its ambitious funding goals.
The venture represents a significant step in AI development and infrastructure in the U.S., with an initial private investment of $100 billion and the potential to grow to $500 billion over four years.
Following President Donald Trump's announcement, Musk said, "They don&#8217;t actually have the money," and later in a separate post stated, "SoftBank has well under $10B secured. I have that on good authority."
When Nadella's comment reached Musk, he replied by saying, &#8220;Satya definitely does have the money.&#8221;
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">On the other hand, Satya definitely does have the money <a href="https://t.co/VGBObPG7fM">https://t.co/VGBObPG7fM</a>
&mdash; Elon Musk (@elonmusk) <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1882303826214162580?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 23, 2025</a></blockquote>
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The project aims to construct data centers and power generation facilities to support advanced AI research and applications, marking a significant declaration of America's technological ambitions.
In October, Microsoft reported <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/24/10/41636770/microsoft-q1-earnings-highlights-ai-driven-transformation-is-changing-work-company-beats-revenue-ep">first-quarter revenue</a> of $65.60 billion, marking a 16% increase compared to the same period in 2023, according to <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/pro/?utm_source=BZprocontent103024&amp;t=be2bearmibe3na1">data from Benzinga Pro</a>.
Check out more of Benzinga's Consumer Tech coverage by <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/consumer-tech">following this link</a>.
Image via Shutterstock
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Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

Satya Nadella Stands Firm After Elon Musk Questions Stargate's $100 Billion Funding Potential: 'All I Know Is, I'm Good For My $80 Billion'

The Trump Administration has announced an <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/01/43111153/nvidia-and-ai-stock-rises-as-trump-announces-500-billion-stargate-ai-infrastructure-venture" rel="noreferrer noopener">AI infrastructure joint venture</a> in the U.S. named &#8220;Stargate,&#8221; comprised of OpenAI, SoftBank Group (OTC:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SFTBF#OTC">SFTBF</a>) (OTC:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SFTBY#OTC">SFTBY</a>), Oracle Corp (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ORCL#NYSE">ORCL</a>), and Abu Dhabi&#8217;s MGX. The venture will deploy $100 billion initially and up to $500 billion over the next four years.
Masayoshi Son of SoftBank (rated Outperform), Sam Altman of OpenAI, and Larry Ellison of Oracle participated in the press conference at the White House.
Also Read: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/01/43127416/anthropic-gains-big-with-google-backing-aiming-for-60-billion-valuation-and-surging-ai-revenue" rel="noreferrer noopener">Anthropic Gains Big With Google Backing, Aims for $60 Billion Valuation and Surging AI Revenue</a>
Ellison noted that the JV&#8217;s initial ten data center buildings are in Abilene, Texas, with plans to expand to twenty.
Macquarie analyst Paul Golding recalled that Son and President Donald Trump announced in December plans for SoftBank to invest $100 in the U.S. over the next four years while creating 100,000 jobs focused on &#8220;AI and related infrastructure.&#8221;
The OpenAI release on Stargate outlines SoftBank as having financial responsibility, OpenAI operational responsibility, and Son as Chairman of the JV. Arm Holdings Plc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ARM#NASDAQ">ARM</a>), Microsoft Corp (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSFT#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>), Nvidia Corp (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSFT#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>), Oracle, and OpenAI are the key initial tech partners.
Golding had been tracking a potential &#8220;mega-project&#8221; at SoftBank, focused on AI, semis, and data centers, for quite some time. In those early reports, the analyst cited that the investment size targeted was ~$100 billion. The breadth of the project type spanned data centers, colocated data center power generation, vaccines, and artificial general intelligence (AGI).
Prior reports indicated Son&#8217;s plan to use an Arm AI chip division to supply chips for new SoftBank data centers starting in 2026 while exploring fusion tech to power them.
Meanwhile, Arm IP is being leveraged in the partnership between Nvidia and SoftBank to develop multi-access edge computing technology for AI over 5G across Japan for deployment in other countries based on fine-tuning from the Japan pilot.
Golding remarked this could eventually be incorporated into Stargate to unlock IoT capabilities, inference at the edge, and other AI-enhanced processes.
While funding considerations and operational bandwidth for SoftBank will be key areas to watch as Stargate gets up and running, participation in a project of this scale alongside heavyweights in the AI space like OpenAI, in Golding&#8217;s opinion, shows how valuable the quality and combination of SoftBank&#8217;s assets and tech investment management capabilities are seen to be, given the time and place in tech and the world.
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Photo via Shutterstock

Analyst Color

Reiteration

Analyst Ratings

SoftBank's Role in $500 Billion Stargate AI Venture Seen as Major Growth Driver, Analyst Says

Alphabet Inc&#8217;s (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOG#NASDAQ">GOOG</a>) (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOGL#NASDAQ">GOOGL</a>) Google earmarked over $1 billion investment <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/anthropic" rel="noreferrer noopener">into OpenAI rival</a> Anthropic, intensifying its rivalry with Microsoft Corp (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSFT#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>), Meta Platforms Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/META#NASDAQ">META</a>) and Amazon.Com Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMZN#NASDAQ">AMZN</a>).
In 2023, Google <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/government/24/10/41528255/googles-2b-investment-in-anthropic-under-scrutiny-uk-opens-competition-inquiry" rel="noreferrer noopener">committed up to $2 billion</a> to the Microsoft-backed OpenAI rival, Financial Times <a target="_blank" href="https://www.ft.com/content/ed631513-dd37-44a3-a536-b2002f5727cc" rel="noreferrer noopener">reports</a>, citing unnamed sources familiar with the matter. The new tranche of money from Google into Anthropic adds to Amazon&#8217;s total investment of $8 billion.
Also Read: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/price-target/25/01/43110913/apples-iphone-dependence-remains-but-services-wearables-offer-growth-potential-analyst" rel="noreferrer noopener">Apple&#8217;s iPhone Dependence Remains, But Services, Wearables Offer Growth Potential: Analyst</a>
Google invented the technology on which Anthropic&#8217;s Claude and OpenAI&#8217;s GPT4 models are built.
Anthropic was also on the verge of securing a further $2 billion from Silicon Valley venture capital investors in a deal likely to triple the start-up&#8217;s valuation to about $60 billion, Financial Times cites unnamed sources familiar with the deal.
Like Meta and Microsoft, OpenAI and Elon Musk&#8217;s xAI raised over $10 billion in 2024.
According to Financial Times, Anthropic&#8217;s revenue hit an annualized $1 billion in December, up roughly 10 times on a year earlier.
<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/media/24/12/42709007/sam-altmans-openai-plans-major-revamp-corporate-structure" rel="noreferrer noopener">Prior reports indicated</a> that OpenAI, worth $157 billion, will be restructuring its non-profit structure into a public benefit corporation in 2025 as developing large-scale language models requires substantial investments.
In related news, on Tuesday, OpenAI, SoftBank (OTC:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SFTBF#OTC">SFTBF</a>) (OTC:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SFTBY#OTC">SFTBY</a>), and Oracle Corp (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ORCL#NYSE">ORCL</a>) introduced a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/01/43111153/nvidia-and-ai-stock-rises-as-trump-announces-500-billion-stargate-ai-infrastructure-venture" rel="noreferrer noopener">$500 billion joint venture</a>, Stargate, to build AI infrastructure in the U.S. Stargate&#8217;s debut project will focus on creating a large-scale data center in Texas, with plans to expand to other states.&nbsp;
Also, in January, Microsoft launched its CoreAI division to streamline AI tools and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/01/42980720/microsoft-taps-meta-veteran-to-lead-new-coreai-division-plans-shift-from-openai-dependence" rel="noreferrer noopener">build AI apps</a>. The company committed $80 billion for AI-driven data centers.
Price Action: GOOGL stock is up 0.38% at $200.39 premarket at the last check on Wednesday.
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Photo courtesy: Shutterstock

Anthropic Gains Big With Google Backing, Aims for $60 Billion Valuation and Surging AI Revenue

Tesla Inc. CEO Elon Musk cast doubt Wednesday on the ambitious $500 billion Project Stargate, hours after its announcement, claiming lead investor SoftBank Group (OTC:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SFTBY#OTC">SFTBY</a>) (OTC:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SFTBF#OTC">SFTBF</a>) has &#8220;well under $10B secured.&#8221;
What Happened: The project, unveiled Tuesday at a White House briefing in the presence of President Donald Trump, represents a joint venture between OpenAI, SoftBank, and Oracle Corp. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ORCL#NYSE">ORCL</a>) to establish massive <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/01/43111153/nvidia-and-ai-stock-rises-as-trump-announces-500-billion-stargate-ai-infrastructure-venture">artificial intelligence infrastructure across the United States</a>. 
&#8220;They don't actually have the money,&#8221; Musk said.
&#8220;SoftBank has well under $10B secured. I have that on good authority.&#8221;
During the briefing, Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison highlighted the project&#8217;s healthcare applications, including an AI-driven system capable of delivering personalized cancer vaccines within 48 hours. 
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">SoftBank has well under $10B secured. I have that on good authority.
&mdash; Elon Musk (@elonmusk) <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1881944244480565497?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 22, 2025</a></blockquote>
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See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/biotech/25/01/43119814/google-parent-owned-startup-to-launch-ai-designed-drug-trials-by-year-end-partnering-with-eli-lilly-and-novartis-to-tackle-major-diseases">Google Parent-Owned Startup To Launch AI-Designed Drug Trials By Year-End, Partnering With Eli Lilly And Novartis To Tackle Major Diseases</a>
Why It Matters: The initiative plans to deploy an initial $100 billion immediately, starting with a 500,000-square-foot data center in Abilene, Texas. Nine additional facilities are planned, with potential expansion to 20 locations.
Technology partners Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSFT#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>), NVIDIA Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>), and Arm Holdings plc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ARM#NASDAQ">ARM</a>) saw their stocks climb on the news. NVIDIA rose 3.95% to $143.15, while Arm jumped 8.94% to $162.60.
OpenAI, maintaining operational responsibility while SoftBank leads financial aspects, stated the project &#8220;will secure American leadership in AI&#8221; and &#8220;create hundreds of thousands of American jobs.&#8221; SoftBank&#8217;s Masayoshi Son will serve as chairman.
Read Next: 
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/25/01/43119464/netflix-raises-prices-16-peter-schiff-warns-of-escalating-inflation-risks-ahead-of-trump-policies">Netflix Raises Prices 16%, Peter Schiff Warns Of Escalating Inflation Risks Ahead Of Trump Policies</a></li>
</ul>
Image via Wikimedia Commons
Disclaimer:&nbsp;This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

Markets

Elon Musk Says Project Stargate Doesn't 'Actually Have The Money' After Trump Announces $500 Billion AI Investment Led By SoftBank, Oracle And OpenAI

Japanese company SoftBank (OTC:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SFTBF#OTC">SFTBF</a>)(OTC:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SFTBY#OTC">SFTBY</a>) announced a $100 billion investment and 100,000 jobs created in a commitment to the U.S. on Monday,<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/12/42505666/softbanks-masayoshi-son-to-reportedly-announce-100b-us-investment-during-meeting-with-trump"> confirming earlier reports</a>.
What Happened: SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son made the announcement alongside President-elect Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago Monday, showing his confidence in the economic health of the U.S. since <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/politics/24/12/42511472/trump-hits-7-year-high-in-favorability-ratings-how-republicans-democrats-men-and-women-view-president-elect">Trump won the 2024 election.</a>
"My confidence level to the economy of the United States has tremendously increased with his victory," Son said, acknowledging Trump.
Son said he is excited to commit $100 billion and 100,000 jobs to the U.S. as a sign of confidence in what's to come.
"This is double of last time as President Trump said, because I say President Trump is a double down president. I'm going to have to double down."
Son said business is important and technology is important. The CEO also expressed confidence Trump can bring "the world into peace again."
"That's my additional hope."
Trump praised Son as one of the top voices and figures in emerging technology, calling him a "brilliant guy."
"This historic investment is a monumental demonstration of confidence in America's future, and it will help ensure that artificial intelligence, emerging technologies and other industries of tomorrow are built, created and grown right here in the U.S.A." Trump said.
Trump reminded people that SoftBank committed to invest $50 billion after the 2016 election and said that it kept that promise.
After Son spoke, Trump asked the SoftBank CEO if he would make it $200 billion, putting him on the spot for a larger commitment.
Son said his promise is for $100 billion.
"I will try to make it happen. He is a great negotiator," Son said.
Read Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/global/24/11/41929194/nvidia-and-softbank-to-build-japans-top-ai-supercomputer-on-blackwell-platform-jensen-huang-says-tokyo-is-leaping-into-the-ai-industrial-revolution">Nvidia And SoftBank To Build Japan&#8217;s Top AI Supercomputer On Blackwell Platform — Jensen Huang Says Tokyo Is &#8216;Leaping Into The AI Industrial Revolution&#8217;</a>
Why It's Important: The $100 billion and jobs commitments will come over the next four years and could show a strengthened relationship between one of the largest Asian investment companies and the U.S.
Softbank is the owner of the Softbank Vision Fund, one of the largest technology-focused investment funds worldwide. The company is also a key investor in Arm Holdings and OpenAI.
"You'll have my support. You'll have our country's support," Trump said to Son.
The announcement could show strengthened relationships between the U.S. and Japan, which comes as the president-elect has<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/24/11/42028954/peter-thiel-says-trumps-60-china-tariff-would-be-very-very-bad-for-beijing-heres-whats-at-stake"> threatened higher tariffs</a> on goods exported from China.
Since winning the 2024 election, business leaders from the U.S. and other countries flocked to gain support from Trump and push for future growth.
Jeff Bezos, Mark Zuckerberg and Sam Altman have<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/management/24/12/42485193/sam-altman-to-donate-1m-to-trumps-inauguration-fund-following-zuckerberg-bezos-eager-to-support"> each pledged $1 million</a> to Trump's inauguration fund through their companies or personal wealth. Apple CEO Tim Cook also <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42495714/tim-cook-dines-with-donald-trump-at-mar-a-lago-to-strengthen-apples-position-as-zuckerberg-and-pichai-repair-ties-and-jeff-bezos-prepares-for-his-turn-report">recently met with</a> Trump in a potential show of support from the technology giant.
The world's richest man Elon Musk has been a supporter of Trump and is also set to have a role in the new White House administration as the co-leader of the Department of Government Efficiency. Musk's influence on Trump could lead to new government regulations that could benefit Tesla and SpaceX and help add to his wealth.
Read Next: 
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/24/11/42227972/softbank-secures-bigger-openai-stake-with-1-5b-employee-share-buyout-report">SoftBank Secures Bigger OpenAI Stake With $1.5B Employee Share Buyout: Report</a></li>
</ul>
Photo: NP27 on Shutterstock

Politics

Global

Trump Says SoftBank's $100B Commitment To US Is 'Monumental Demonstration Of Confidence In America's Future'

Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BABA#NYSE">BABA</a>) has introduced a new AI model, QwQ-32B-Preview, which is positioned as a competitor to Microsoft Corp.-backed (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSFT#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>) OpenAI&#8217;s o1 <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/top-stories/24/09/40842891/openai-unveils-o1-model-a-step-closer-to-human-like-ai-but-not-without-flaws">reasoning model</a>.
What Happened: Developed by Alibaba&#8217;s Qwen team, QwQ-32B-Preview boasts 32.5 billion parameters, enabling it to handle prompts up to 32,000 words.
This model is one of the few available under a permissive license, allowing for download and use, the company stated in a blog post on Thursday.
It reportedly outperforms OpenAI&#8217;s o1-preview and o1-mini models on specific benchmarks, such as the AIME and MATH tests. These tests evaluate AI models&#8217; performance in logic puzzles and math problems.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/movers/24/11/42169194/joby-gets-toyotas-500m-dollar-lift-evtol-pioneer-making-new-highs?itm_source=parsely-api">Joby Gets Toyota&#8217;s $500M Dollar Lift: eVTOL Pioneer Making New Highs</a>
Despite its strengths, QwQ-32B-Preview has limitations. Alibaba acknowledges potential issues like unexpected language switches and underperformance in tasks requiring common sense reasoning.
The model&#8217;s reasoning capabilities allow it to fact-check itself, reducing errors but increasing solution time.
QwQ-32B-Preview is available on the AI development platform Hugging Face.
However, only certain components are released, limiting full replication or insight into its workings. The model&#8217;s responses align with Chinese regulatory standards, avoiding politically sensitive topics.
The development was first <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2024/11/27/alibaba-releases-an-open-challenger-to-openais-o1-reasoning-model/">spotted</a> by TechCrunch.
Subscribe to the&nbsp;<a href="https://bztechtrends.beehiiv.com/subscribe" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Benzinga Tech Trends newsletter</a>&nbsp;to get all the latest tech developments delivered to your inbox.
Why It Matters: The introduction of Alibaba&#8217;s QwQ-32B-Preview comes at a time when OpenAI is making significant strides in the AI sector. Last month, OpenAI&#8217;s valuation <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/10/41149788/openai-valuation-soars-to-157b-in-latest-funding-round">soared to $157 billion </a>following a successful funding round.&nbsp;
Earlier this week, it was reported that SoftBank Group (OTC:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SFTBF#OTC">SFTBF</a>) has increased its stake in OpenAI through a <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/24/11/42227972/softbank-secures-bigger-openai-stake-with-1-5b-employee-share-buyout-report">$1.5 billion employee share buyout</a>.
OpenAI is also reportedly exploring the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/24/11/42130303/chatgpt-parent-openai-considers-building-its-own-web-browser-to-challenge-googles-search-monopoly-following-doj-push-to-break-up-chrome-dominance">development of its own web browser</a> to challenge Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOG#NASDAQ">GOOG</a>) (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOGL#NASDAQ">GOOGL</a>) subsidiary Google&#8217;s Chrome browser, following a push from the U.S. Department of Justice to divest it.
Price Action: Currently, Alibaba shares are up 0.27% to $86.82 in pre-market trading on Friday, following a 1.66% rise to $86.59 during Wednesday&#8217;s regular session, according to <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/dashboard">data from Benzinga Pro</a>.
Check out more of Benzinga&#8217;s Consumer Tech coverage by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/consumer-tech" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">following this link</a>.
Read Next:
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/11/42053396/why-chinese-tech-giants-alibaba-bytedance-and-meituan-are-expanding-their-ai-footprints-in-silicon-valley-amid-us-efforts-to-block-progress?itm_source=parsely-api">China&#8217;s Tech Giants Alibaba, ByteDance, And Meituan Are Expanding Their Silicon Valley AI Footprints Amid US Efforts To Block Progress: Here&#8217;s Why</a></li>
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Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
Photo courtesy: Shutterstock

Alibaba's New AI Model Outperforms OpenAI's o1 In Specific Benchmarks, Now Available For Free Download

OpenAI enables employees to sell up to $1.5 billion worth of shares in a tender offer led by SoftBank Group (OTC:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SFTBY#OTC">SFTBY</a>) (OTC:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SFTBF#OTC">SFTBF</a>). 
What Happened: The transaction, set to close by Dec 24, allows SoftBank to deepen its stake in the AI leader while offering liquidity to current and former employees, <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2024/11/26/openai-gets-1point5-billion-investment-from-softbank-in-tender-offer.html">reported</a> CNBC, citing people familiar with the matter.
The deal, priced at $210 per share, aligns with OpenAI&#8217;s <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/10/41149788/openai-valuation-soars-to-157b-in-latest-funding-round">recent $157 billion valuation</a>. SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son drove the move, following a $500 million investment in OpenAI's last funding round. This marks another step in Son's aggressive AI strategy, with SoftBank's Vision Fund 2 also backing startups like Glean and Perplexity.
OpenAI, backed by $13 billion in funding from investors including Microsoft Corp (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSFT#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>) and NVIDIA Corp (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>), has emphasized the importance of such tender offers amid a dormant IPO market. 
This initiative reflects the company&#8217;s commitment to employee satisfaction and continued capital-raising to sustain its growth in the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/startups/24/10/41312615/investors-pour-billions-into-openai-whats-driving-this-unprecedented-surge-in-funding">competitive generative AI market</a>.
SoftBank and OpenAI did not immediately respond to <a href="http://pro.benzinga.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Benzinga</a>'s request for comment.
Read Next: 
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/11/42227693/blackrock-set-to-acquire-private-credit-manager-hps-for-12b-report">BlackRock Set To Acquire Private Credit Manager HPS For $12B: Report</a></li>
</ul>
Image Via Shutterstock 
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

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