Canada – 2025/08/07: In this illustrated photo, the SoftBank Group (SoftBank) logo is displayed on the smartphone screen. (Photo illustration: Thomas Fuller/SOPA Images/LightRocket, Getty Images)
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SoftBank Group plans to establish and list a standalone artificial intelligence and robotics company in the United States as early as this year, the Financial Times reported on Thursday.
The new organization, called Roze, will focus on building data centers and leveraging robotics to improve the efficiency of building AI infrastructure, according to the report, which cited anonymous sources familiar with the matter.
SoftBank founder and CEO Masayoshi Son is driving the effort, with executives reportedly aiming for a valuation of around $100 billion and an initial public offering this year.
However, the report notes that the evaluation goals and schedule are subject to change, in part because of uncertainties stemming from the Middle East conflict, and that some SoftBank executives view the plan as ambitious.
Son’s AI risk appetite has increased in recent years, with tens of billions of dollars being poured into the field. But investors have expressed concerns about how SoftBank will finance these investments, especially its support for OpenAI, which remains unprofitable.
The proposed listing could help offset some of its major commitments, including more than $30 billion in commitments to OpenAI.
According to reports, Rose may bundle existing energy, land and infrastructure assets in SoftBank’s portfolio with ABB Robotics, which SoftBank agreed to acquire last year.
ABB Robotics is one of the world’s leading suppliers of robotics and machine automation solutions, and SoftBank is expected to integrate its robotics hardware with AI capabilities.
A SoftBank representative did not immediately respond to a request for comment from CNBC.
Son’s AI ambitions are increasingly focused on the US, with the company already establishing itself as a major funder of US AI infrastructure.
Early last year, SoftBank partnered with OpenAI, Oracle and others on the Stargate project, a planned $500 billion investment to build AI data center capacity across the United States.
The company is also moving quickly to build its own data centers, including a large project in Ohio.
SoftBank posted a $2.4 billion gain on its Vision Fund in the December quarter as gains from its investment in OpenAI offset losses on some of its other investments.
The company was trading 0.9% lower on Thursday but is up more than 18% this year.
