SoftBank Powers Up AI Ambitions with $6.5 Billion Ampere Computing Buyout

Japan’s SoftBank Group has officially closed its $6.5 billion (¥973 billion) acquisition of Ampere Computing, a US-based semiconductor design company known for its energy-efficient chips tailored for AI workloads. The move positions SoftBank to deepen its influence in high-performance computing, particularly on the ARM platform, where Ampere specializes.

The deal was executed via Silver Bands 6 (US) Corp., a SoftBank subsidiary, effectively making Ampere Computing a fully owned member of the Japanese conglomerate. From the moment of acquisition, Ampere’s financial results will be integrated into SoftBank’s overall financial statements, though the group has noted it is still assessing the full impact on its consolidated numbers. Any relevant updates will be disclosed as needed.

Ampere Computing will continue operating under its existing brand while leveraging SoftBank’s resources. Previously, Ampere’s ownership was split between Carlyle (59.65%), Oracle (32.27%), and Arm Technology Investment (8.08%)—with SoftBank already holding a majority stake in Arm, the British semiconductor firm behind the ARM architecture.

The acquisition comes shortly after SoftBank finalized the sale of its entire stake in Nvidia, generating $5.83 billion. According to the group’s September 30, 2025 financials, these Nvidia shares were previously recorded at ¥357.8 billion as current financial assets and ¥534 billion as investment securities.

SoftBank is also expanding its robotics footprint. In October 2025, the group agreed to acquire ABB’s robotics division for $5.4 billion, a move aimed at combining ABB’s robotics expertise with SoftBank’s AI-focused investments. Together with Ampere, these initiatives are expected to accelerate SoftBank’s ambitions toward advanced AI solutions and potentially artificial superintelligence.

With Ampere Computing now under its umbrella, SoftBank is clearly signaling a long-term strategy to dominate the next generation of AI hardware, blending energy-efficient chip design with cutting-edge robotics innovation.