The U.S. Federal Trade Commission has cleared SoftBank Group's $6.5 billion all-cash acquisition of semiconductor design firm Ampere Computing, removing the final regulatory hurdle for the deal. This marks another strategic move in Masayoshi Son's expanding AI chip portfolio, which already includes Arm and Graphcore.
The acquisition, initially announced in March, strengthens SoftBank's position in AI infrastructure. Ampere—founded by former Intel president Renée James in 2018—specializes in high-performance data center CPUs based on Arm architecture. The company employs 1,000 engineers and counts Apple and Qualcomm among its key customers.
Oracle and Carlyle Group, which held 32% and 60% stakes respectively, have agreed to sell their shares. Following the transaction, Ampere will operate as a SoftBank subsidiary, retaining its name and California headquarters.
The deal creates a comprehensive AI chip ecosystem for SoftBank, combining:
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Arm's architecture licensing
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Ampere's chip design capabilities
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Graphcore's AI acceleration technology
Son has positioned Ampere's high-efficiency computing technology as crucial for overcoming super AI computing bottlenecks. The FTC, which launched an in-depth investigation in July, ultimately determined the acquisition was complementary rather than anti-competitive, since Ampere focuses on data center CPUs while Arm licenses technology to multiple customers.
This acquisition aligns with SoftBank's broader global AI infrastructure strategy, including participation in OpenAI's $500 billion "Stargate" data center project announced in January.
ICgoodFind :SoftBank's integrated chip portfolio creates a powerful position in the AI hardware ecosystem, potentially reshaping industry competition.
