SoftBank acquires Ampere Computing for $6.5 billion to boost AI infrastructure

SoftBank‘s $6.5 billion acquisition of Ampere Computing marks a strategic expansion of its AI infrastructure investments, advancing the semiconductor giant’s computing capabilities at a critical time for AI development. The all-cash transaction, which will see Ampere become a wholly-owned subsidiary while maintaining its brand identity, represents another major semiconductor play for SoftBank following its $32 billion Arm acquisition in 2016.

The big picture: SoftBank Group is acquiring silicon design company Ampere Computing for $6.5 billion in an all-cash transaction, further strengthening its position in AI computing infrastructure.

• Upon completion, Ampere will continue operating under its existing name as a wholly owned SoftBank subsidiary.
• The deal includes Ampere’s lead investors Carlyle and Oracle Corp. selling their respective stakes in the company.

SoftBank’s AI strategy: The acquisition aligns with SoftBank’s broader push into AI infrastructure development and investment.

• The company recently partnered with OpenAI to develop and market enterprise AI systems under the name “Cristal intelligence.”
• SoftBank is also participating in Stargate, a joint venture planning to invest up to $500 billion in AI infrastructure in the United States.

What they’re saying: SoftBank’s leadership views computing power as fundamental to advancing artificial intelligence capabilities.

• “Advancements in computing power are critical to AI development,” said Masayoshi Son, chairman and CEO of SoftBank Group Corp.
• Renée J. James, Ampere’s founder and CEO, indicated the deal will allow the company to continue developing its “Arm-based processor roadmap for cloud and AI workloads.”

Company background: Ampere has focused on power-efficient processors for cloud computing since its 2018 founding.

• The company was established by James, who previously spent 28 years at Intel, ultimately serving as president.
• Ampere initially developed the 16nm eMAG processor with up to 32 cores as an alternative to x86-based solutions, before transitioning to its higher-performance Altra and Altra Max processors.

Looking ahead: The transaction requires regulatory approvals and is expected to close in the second half of 2025.