October 9, 2026 — SoftBank is reportedly trying to raise up to $100 billion from Gulf investors to fund a new AI-focused investment fund, according to a Financial Times report.
What happened
The Financial Times reported that SoftBank Group is seeking as much as $100 billion from investors in the Gulf — including senior figures in the United Arab Emirates — to finance a new wave of AI investments. CEO Masayoshi Son has held talks with Gulf figures in recent weeks about potential funding, according to people familiar with the discussions.
The new fund would focus on acquiring companies and improving their operations through artificial intelligence and other advanced technologies. SoftBank did not immediately respond to requests for comment, and Reuters noted it could not independently verify the report.
Context: SoftBank is already spending big on AI
The reported fundraising effort comes right after SoftBank completed its $30 billion investment in OpenAI last week — a deal that makes it one of the largest single backers of the ChatGPT maker. In September, SoftBank also raised $11.1 billion through what was described as the world’s largest high-yield corporate bond sale to support that OpenAI commitment.
A $100 billion Gulf raise would be SoftBank’s biggest capital hunt since its Vision Funds — and the fund’s “buy and improve with AI” strategy sounds like the Vision Fund playbook updated for the agent era: acquire real businesses, then apply AI across them to cut costs and scale faster.
Why it matters
Two things are striking here. First, the Gulf connection: sovereign wealth from the UAE and Saudi Arabia is quietly becoming the bankroll of the AI buildout — and unlike equity markets, which just watched Firmus pull a $7 billion IPO for lack of buyers, sovereign funds have the patience and scale for decade-long bets. Second, SoftBank going back for a fresh $100 billion right after wiring $30 billion to OpenAI signals that Son sees the current wave as the moment to deploy, not hold back. For anyone tracking the AI funding environment: the headline is that capital is still chasing AI aggressively at the very top, even as public markets start asking tougher questions of AI infrastructure plays.
Frequently asked questions
How much is SoftBank reportedly trying to raise?
Up to $100 billion from Gulf investors, according to the Financial Times report. The fundraising has not been confirmed by SoftBank.
What would the new fund do?
It would acquire companies and improve their operations using artificial intelligence and other advanced technologies — essentially the Vision Fund strategy applied to AI transformation.
Why Gulf investors?
Gulf sovereign funds have enormous capital and a long investment horizon, making them natural partners for the massive, patient bets AI infrastructure and acquisitions require.
How does this relate to SoftBank’s OpenAI investment?
SoftBank just completed a $30 billion investment in OpenAI last week, funded in part by an $11.1 billion bond sale in September. The new Gulf fund would be a separate vehicle.
Sources: Financial Times (via entarabi.com summary), Reuters