SoftBank and OpenAI have launched a new joint venture in Japan called SB OAI Japan

SoftBank and OpenAI have launched a new joint venture in Japan called SB OAI Japan, owned equally by both companies. This venture aims to localize and sell OpenAI's enterprise AI technologies, branded as "Crystal intelligence," which is a packaged AI solution designed to enhance productivity and management efficiency for Japanese businesses. The first customer of this joint venture will be SoftBank itself, which plans to use these AI solutions across its own operations to improve product development and business transformation.

SoftBank emphasizes its heavy internal adoption of AI, having created 2.5 million custom ChatGPT instances for employee use. The joint venture will leverage SoftBank’s expertise to provide localized implementation and support while benefiting from OpenAI’s enterprise technology. This move reflects significant investment trends in AI, though some analysts warn of a bubble-like environment reminiscent of past tech booms, where large sums are invested with uncertain returns.

In summary, the partnership represents a strategic play to drive AI adoption in Japan’s enterprise sector, with SoftBank both testing and showcasing the AI solutions before wider deployment to other companies through the venture