SoftBank Group’s Vision Fund is planning to lay off up to 20% of its workforce, signaling Masayoshi Son’s intensified focus on artificial intelligence (AI) investments.
According to sources, the Vision Fund had approximately 282 employees as of the end of March this year, and the layoffs are expected to affect more than 50 positions. This move continues a multi-year downsizing trend as Son shifts strategic emphasis toward AI.
Son’s ambitions in AI are staggering. He plans to invest around $30 billion in OpenAI, with SoftBank already committing roughly $10 billion. The group is also acquiring chip design firm Ampere Computing for $6.5 billion—though the deal remains under regulatory review. Additionally, SoftBank is collaborating with OpenAI and Oracle on the $500 billion "Stargate" initiative, aimed at building large-scale AI data centers and related infrastructure across the United States. Son is also advancing a $1 trillion project to develop AI industrial parks and is actively seeking partnerships with companies like TSMC.
A Vision Fund spokesperson confirmed the upcoming layoffs without elaborating, stating: “We continue to adjust our organizational structure to better align with our long-term strategy of making bold and steadfast investments in AI and breakthrough technologies.”
To help fund these massive AI initiatives, the Vision Fund has been divesting key assets. The company is now concentrating on a smaller number of large-scale investment deals, reducing its need for the extensive team of investment advisors previously required to oversee new or existing transactions.
Since its establishment in 2017 with over $100 billion in capital, the Vision Fund reached a peak of 474 employees in the fiscal year ending March 2020. Today, its headcount has been reduced by approximately 40%.
ICgoodFind Summary: SoftBank’s restructuring reflects a strategic pivot toward AI-driven investments, which may redefine its portfolio and influence broader AI financing trends.
