SoftBank to Acquire $1.5 Billion Stake in OpenAI

Nov 28, 2024 | News On Japan

TOKYO - SoftBank Group is set to acquire up to $1.5 billion (approximately 225 billion yen) worth of OpenAI shares from its employees, according to a report by CNBC on November 27th.

Sources reveal that Masayoshi Son, Chairman and CEO of SoftBank, has been seeking additional shares in OpenAI through the Vision Fund, following an initial investment in the AI developer behind ChatGPT. OpenAI has reportedly approved the deal.

The report also states that OpenAI employees have until December 24th to decide whether to participate in this new round of funding.

Source: テレ東BIZ

Woman Dies After Car Flooded in Underpass

A woman in her 60s died after her car was submerged in a flooded underpass in Iwaki, Fukushima Prefecture, as record rainfall caused widespread flooding, landslides and transport disruption across Kanto and surrounding areas on September 7, with authorities warning that further rain was expected during the evening commute.

All of Ishinomaki City Ordered to Evacuate as Rain Pounds Tohoku

An evacuation order has been issued for the entire city of Ishinomaki and parts of Marumori in Miyagi Prefecture as heavy rain caused by the autumn rain front disrupts transportation across the region, with a linear rainband potentially forming along the Pacific side of Tohoku through the evening.

Yokohama Mayor Resigns Over Power Harassment Allegations

Yokohama Mayor Takeharu Yamanaka resigned on September 7 after the city assembly unanimously approved his request to step down over allegations of workplace power harassment, setting the stage for a mayoral election in October.

Typhoon No. 24 Nears Minami-Daito Before Weakening Into Tropical Depression

Typhoon No. 24 (Krovahn) was near Minami-Daito Island, about 300 kilometers southeast of Okinawa, as of 3 a.m. on September 7, moving east-northeast at about 10 kilometers per hour and expected to weaken into a tropical depression by the afternoon, although strong winds and high waves were forecast to persist before its remnants move north and potentially intensify the autumn rain front over western and eastern Japan later in the week.

Tokyo Unveils Design for Symbol Tree at Shinjuku Station

Tokyo has unveiled the design for a major redevelopment of the plaza outside Shinjuku Station's west exit, with a landmark tree, water-play area and event space planned as part of a transformation centered on "greenery, light and people" that is scheduled for completion in 2035.

MEDIA CHANNELS

MORE Web3 NEWS

Hitachi Turns to AI to Ease Labor Shortages

Hitachi is stepping up the use of digital technology, autonomous robots and physical AI to address Japan's growing labor shortage, showcasing systems designed to automate factory work and maintain critical infrastructure at one of the group's largest technology exhibitions.

Nvidia-Backed Japanese Startup Pushes Ahead in Physical AI

Japanese startup Enactic is developing physical AI technology that combines artificial intelligence with robotic hardware, earning recognition from Nvidia while pursuing an unusual open-development strategy that makes its technology available to the public.

SoftBank-Backed AI Power Firm Files for IPO

SB Energy, a U.S. power infrastructure company for artificial intelligence backed by SoftBank Group, said on September 1 that it has filed for an initial public offering on the Nasdaq stock market with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

Proxy Security Best Practices Every User Should Know

When it comes to your proxy server, you should treat it as you would any security endpoint. If your proxy credentials are leaked, someone else can use your traffic, burn your IP reputation, or even gain access to your scraping infrastructure.

Inconvenient Convenience Store Gives Lessons in AI

Meta has opened an interactive event in Tokyo's Shibuya district that deliberately makes convenience-store shopping difficult, using the unusual setting to demonstrate how artificial intelligence could make everyday tasks easier.

Five Japanese Companies Launch Physical AI Data Collection Center

Major pharmaceutical company Tsumura and four other companies began full-scale operations on August 26 at a joint data collection center designed to develop "physical AI," technology that enables artificial intelligence to autonomously control robots in manufacturing and other workplaces.

SoftBank Plans Massive Retail Bond Sale to Fund AI Investment

SoftBank Group announced on August 24 that it will issue 1 trillion yen in unsecured corporate bonds for individual investors, in what is set to be its largest such offering.

Japanese Companies Bet on Autonomous Ships and AI Interviewers

Japanese companies and venture investors are stepping up efforts to commercialize technologies that could transform shipping and recruitment, with Mitsui O.S.K. Lines pursuing fully autonomous operation of giant cargo vessels while startup Calaris develops an interactive AI interviewer designed to uncover abilities that conventional job applications may miss.

< 2 3 4 5 >