SoftBank reduces OpenAI equity-backed financing plan to $6 billion, AI valuation disagreements trigger tightening funding

Odaily Planet Daily News SoftBank Group has scaled back a financing plan backed by OpenAI equity, which originally aimed to raise approximately $10 billion in margin loans, with the size now potentially reduced to around $6 billion.

Sources indicate that some lenders have expressed concerns over the transaction structure and the reliability of OpenAI's valuation as an unlisted company, which has become a key factor hindering the progress of the financing. The loan was initially designed to be secured by SoftBank's holdings of OpenAI equity, with a term of two years extendable by one year, intended to further expand its investment layout in the artificial intelligence sector.

SoftBank has been increasing its investments in the AI赛道 in recent years, pouring approximately $30 billion into OpenAI through Vision Fund 2 and participating in large-scale AI infrastructure projects including Stargate. However, this financing adjustment also reflects a broader trend: despite the continued surge in AI investment enthusiasm, the market is beginning to show caution regarding the verifiability of valuations for private AI giants, with some institutional investors tightening their risk pricing.

Currently, negotiations for the loan are still ongoing, and the final size remains subject to change. (Bloomberg)