SoftBank founder Masayoshi Son is working on a $100 billion effort to create a new artificial intelligence (AI) chip unit known as ‘Izanagi.’ According to Bloomberg, this ambitious initiative wants to compete with NVIDIA, the current AI chip market leader, and help manufacture critical semiconductors for AI applications. SoftBank intends to contribute $30 billion, with the remaining $70 billion potentially coming from Middle Eastern institutions.
Arm CEO Rene Haas is advising Son on the project
The Izanagi project, named after the Japanese god of creation and life, has the potential to be one of the greatest investments in artificial intelligence, surpassing Microsoft’s recent $10 billion investment in OpenAI. Rene Haas, a SoftBank board member and Arm CEO, is advising Son on the initiative, emphasizing the possibilities for AI investments based on Arm chip designs. Son has discussed semiconductor manufacturing with OpenAI’s Sam Altman, although Izanagi is a separate project.
Arm’s involvement and engagement with other AI companies
Arm executives said earlier this month that there is high demand for their central processors, particularly when combined with NVIDIA chips for AI activities in data centers. Despite previous shifts in approach, Son is optimistic that artificial general intelligence (AGI) will be a reality within the next decade. He has urged Japanese corporations to use artificial intelligence or risk falling behind.
Son’s Vision and Timeline for AGI
In October, Son told a group of Japanese industrial clients that AGI is what every AI specialist seeks. He stated that these specialists are unable to answer questions about AGI’s timing, computing capacity, and intelligence in comparison to humans. “I’m convinced AGI will be real in 10 years,” Son remarked at the time. AGI would be able to learn and grasp tasks similar to humans, using its intellect to solve a variety of challenges.