Masayoshi Son’s Epic Comeback: How AI is Revitalizing His Empire

Masayoshi Son Returns to the Spotlight
After a two-year hiatus, Masayoshi Son has re-emerged in the public eye, making headlines at shareholder meetings and on television. His comeback is largely attributed to the soaring stock price of ARM Holdings, a chip company he owns. As of mid-June, ARM Holdings’ market value exceeded $165 billion, propelling Son to the top of Japan’s billionaire list. According to Forbes Japan’s Rich List, Uniqlo founder Tadashi Yanai ranks first, with Son in second place. The top four positions have remained relatively stable over the years, but Son’s wealth saw the most significant increase this year, rising by 30% to $6.1 billion, thanks to ARM Holdings’ success. Forbes aptly described this as a “historic comeback” for Son.

SoftBank’s Vision Fund and AI Strategy
In the past two years, Son’s SoftBank Vision Fund faced massive losses, forcing him to step back and SoftBank into a near-dormant state. However, in July of last year, Son returned with a new offensive strategy, focusing on artificial intelligence (AI). Media reports indicate that SoftBank plans to invest $9 billion annually in AI. This month, SoftBank announced a new joint venture with U.S. healthcare technology company Tempus AI, dedicated to using AI for medical data analysis. The joint venture, with a capital of ¥30…