$4 Billion DigitalBridge Investment Extends SoftBank’s Global AI Reach

A $4 billion investment in DigitalBridge Group is extending SoftBank Group’s global reach in artificial intelligence infrastructure across multiple markets, both companies announced. The transaction reflects founder Masayoshi Son’s strategy of building worldwide presence in infrastructure supporting AI technologies rather than focusing on single geographic markets.
The investment extends SoftBank’s global reach through digital infrastructure assets spanning multiple countries and regions, providing computing and connectivity capabilities for AI applications worldwide. Son has been systematically extending SoftBank’s geographical reach in artificial intelligence infrastructure, recognizing that AI development is global and infrastructure must match. The worldwide demand for computing resources to support AI systems requires global infrastructure presence, which DigitalBridge’s international portfolio enables.
DigitalBridge’s globally-reaching portfolio encompasses digital infrastructure across markets including datacenter facilities, telecommunications networks, fiber systems, and edge computing platforms in multiple countries. The company’s international holdings include global operators like Vantage Data Centers with international presence, Zayo’s extensive networks, Switch, and AtlasEdge’s European operations. The firm’s global expansion from its 1991 founding as Colony Capital occurred under CEO Marc Ganzi, who built international reach and the 2021 rebrand to DigitalBridge.
Following the global reach extension, Ganzi will continue leading these international assets as CEO, with DigitalBridge operating independently. The geographical scope is substantial: DigitalBridge managed around $108 billion in assets as of September 30, with significant international exposure. This extends SoftBank’s reach into markets where it previously had limited AI infrastructure presence.
SoftBank’s global reach strategy includes other international initiatives. While the Stargate project with OpenAI, Oracle, and MGX (a technology investor based in Abu Dhabi) focuses initially on US facilities, the partnership represents international collaboration. The multi-billion-dollar initiative to build large-scale computing infrastructure optimized for advanced AI development includes plans for five computing facilities in Texas, New Mexico, and Ohio with approximately 7 gigawatts of combined power capacity, with potential for future international expansion.