SoftBank and OpenAI Form 50-50 Joint Venture in Japan to Offer "Crystal Intelligence" Enterprise AI Solution
Key Points
- SoftBank and OpenAI launch SB OAI Japan, a 50-50 joint venture.
- The venture will localize and sell OpenAI’s enterprise AI tools in Japan.
- First customer of the joint venture is SoftBank itself.
- The flagship offering is called "Crystal intelligence," a packaged enterprise AI solution.
- SoftBank reports all employees are actively using AI and has created 2.5 million custom ChatGPT instances.
- Crystal intelligence aims to boost productivity and management efficiency for Japanese firms.
- SoftBank will use the solution across its businesses to drive product development and transformation.
- The partnership reflects a broader trend of circular AI investments and large capital inflows.
SoftBank and OpenAI have launched a 50-50 joint venture called SB OAI Japan to localize and sell OpenAI's enterprise AI technologies to Japanese companies. The partnership’s first customer is SoftBank itself, which will deploy the new "Crystal intelligence" packaged solution across its businesses. SoftBank reports that all its employees are actively using AI and that it has created 2.5 million custom ChatGPT instances for internal use. The joint venture aims to combine OpenAI’s enterprise offerings with SoftBank’s local implementation and support, helping Japanese firms boost productivity and management efficiency.
Joint Venture Formation
SoftBank and OpenAI have created a new joint venture in Japan, named SB OAI Japan, with each partner holding an equal 50-50 ownership stake. The collaboration is designed to bring OpenAI’s enterprise artificial intelligence technologies to the Japanese market through localized implementation and support. The formation of the venture reflects both companies’ commitment to expanding AI adoption in corporate environments and underscores SoftBank’s strategic investment in OpenAI, which includes tens of billions of dollars in financing and additional commitments to build AI data centers and infrastructure.
Offering "Crystal Intelligence"
The flagship product of SB OAI Japan is branded as "Crystal intelligence," described as a packaged enterprise AI solution tailored for corporate management and operational needs in Japan. According to SoftBank, Crystal intelligence combines OpenAI’s enterprise AI capabilities with localized services provided by the joint venture, aiming to enhance productivity and management efficiency for Japanese organizations. The solution is positioned as a ready‑to‑use offering that integrates advanced AI tools into existing business processes, allowing companies to adopt AI without the need for extensive in‑house development.
SoftBank's Internal AI Deployment
SoftBank will be the first customer of the new joint venture, deploying Crystal intelligence across its diverse business units. The conglomerate reports that every employee is actively utilizing AI in daily operations and that it has generated 2.5 million custom ChatGPT instances for internal use. SoftBank plans to leverage the joint venture’s solutions to drive product development, business transformation, and operational improvements throughout its portfolio. Insights and expertise gained from these internal deployments will be shared with other Japanese companies through SB OAI Japan.
Strategic Implications
The partnership illustrates a broader trend of AI firms and investors creating circular investment structures that keep capital and technology within their ecosystems. By combining OpenAI’s cutting‑edge AI models with SoftBank’s market presence and implementation capabilities, the joint venture aims to accelerate AI adoption among Japanese enterprises. Analysts have noted that the influx of large sums of capital into AI development mirrors earlier technology booms, raising questions about valuation and return on investment. Nonetheless, SoftBank’s proactive internal AI usage and the launch of Crystal intelligence signal a strong commitment to embedding AI into business operations and delivering tangible value to corporate customers in Japan.