In a move designed to strengthen its position in artificial intelligence infrastructure, SoftBank Group has reached an agreement to acquire DigitalBridge Group for $4 billion. The deal, announced by both parties, represents another significant investment in SoftBank’s campaign to dominate the infrastructure layer supporting AI development and deployment.
This acquisition markedly increases SoftBank’s exposure to digital infrastructure assets, which provide the computing, storage, and connectivity capabilities that AI systems require. Masayoshi Son, SoftBank’s founder and driving force, has been vocal about his conviction that artificial intelligence represents a once-in-a-generation technological shift. The extraordinary demand for computing power to train and run AI models has created massive opportunities in infrastructure, which SoftBank is moving aggressively to capture.
DigitalBridge has built a comprehensive investment portfolio across digital infrastructure categories including large-scale datacenters, cell tower networks, high-capacity fiber systems, small-cell infrastructure, and edge computing facilities. Notable portfolio companies include Vantage Data Centers, Zayo, Switch, and AtlasEdge. The firm’s transformation from its origins as Colony Capital, a real estate investment firm founded in 1991, to its current incarnation occurred under the leadership of CEO Marc Ganzi, who orchestrated the divestiture of traditional real estate holdings and the 2021 rebrand.
Following the acquisition, Ganzi will remain at the helm of DigitalBridge, which will continue operating as a separately managed platform. The magnitude of the business SoftBank is acquiring is considerable: DigitalBridge had approximately $108 billion in assets under management at the end of September, establishing it as one of the premier institutional investors focused specifically on digital infrastructure. This provides SoftBank with immediate scale and industry expertise.
SoftBank’s commitment to AI infrastructure is demonstrated across multiple investments. The company is a principal partner in the Stargate project alongside OpenAI, Oracle, and Abu Dhabi-based MGX. This collaborative venture involves billions of dollars in investments to create large-scale computing infrastructure optimized for advanced AI development. The announced roadmap includes five new computing centers in Texas, New Mexico, and Ohio, designed to provide approximately 7 gigawatts of power capacity in total.
SoftBank’s $4 Billion DigitalBridge Acquisition Strengthens Grip on AI Infrastructure
