SoftBank Group (SFTBY) CEO Masayoshi Son expects artificial intelligence to account for 20% of global GDP by 2040, dismissing concerns that the sector is in a bubble.
Speaking at SoftBank World 2026 in Tokyo, Son said AI infrastructure could require $5 trillion in annual investment by 2040. He projected the technology could generate about $46 trillion in yearly revenue and roughly $23 trillion in profits, which he believes would justify the scale of spending.
SoftBank is a Japanese technology investment group with major stakes across AI, semiconductors, telecommunications and venture capital. Its portfolio includes Arm, while its cumulative investment in OpenAI is expected to exceed $60 billion by the end of 2026.
Son also warned that AI data centers may require 3 terawatts of power by 2040, or about 1.8 times current global electricity consumption. He expects natural gas to carry much of the early burden before nuclear fusion becomes viable.