Masayoshi Son sets stage for internal successor selection as SoftBank accelerates AI ambition

Masayoshi Son, the dynamic founder and CEO of SoftBank Group, is reportedly preparing to identify his successor from within the company, a move that reflects both his desire to cement SoftBank’s leadership legacy and his unwavering confidence in the group’s future.

According to a Bloomberg report, Son is looking to appoint an internal candidate to lead SoftBank into its next phase, a transition underpinned by its aggressive bets on AI and semiconductor infrastructure.

Acknowledging the outlines of a succession plan, Son has reportedly addressed what may be the single biggest concern among investors, and name-checked the head of SoftBank Group Corp.’s telecom unit Junichi Miyakawa. The leader mentioned that he plans to hold SoftBank’s reins another ten years, but added he has several candidates for its next chief in mind from within the Japanese technology group, speaking during a general shareholders’ meeting in Tokyo on Friday, the report added.

Read more: 'Future will be determined by humans who have AI vs humans who don't have AI': SoftBank’s Masayoshi Son

While saying that he is healthy and intends to lead, Son added, “If I should become a barrier to growth, SoftBank should move to its next phase.” He then listed Miyakawa, who is now in charge of rolling out AI infrastructure within Japan, as someone who’s doing “an extremely solid job.” “I feel very pleased, encouraged and reassured by his efforts,” he said. “As a result, I have almost never felt the need to interfere in what he does. I trust him,” he added.

During the meeting, Son also assured that he is passionate enough to work tirelessly for the next ten years to realize an era where AI is pervasive in society.

This internal succession initiative comes at a pivotal moment for SoftBank. This year, the Japanese multinational conglomerate has been increasing its investments in OpenAI and participating in joint ventures such as the $500 billion Stargate project.

According to Son, SoftBank is now “all in” on the artificial intelligence company, with total planned investments in the company reaching about 4.8 trillion Japanese yen ($33.2 billion), despite it being unlisted and unprofitable.

“I think that OpenAI will be listed eventually and, in my belief, will become the most valuable company in the world,” Son said. He added, however, that it “takes bravery to invest” in such a company.

Son, during the meeting, also shared that he wants SoftBank to become the biggest platform provider within the next decade, serving as the “organizer of the industry in the artificial superintelligence era.”

He added that SoftBank’s partnership with OpenAI, along with British semiconductor company Arm, which SoftBank acquired in 2016, would be essential to those plans.