OpenAI is teaming up with SoftBank Group Corp. in a $3 billion annual partnership to deploy enterprise artificial intelligence solutions across Asia’s largest economy, marking the AI company’s most significant push into the Japanese market.
The partnership centers on a new product called Cristal intelligence, which will be marketed through a 50-50 joint venture named SB OpenAI Japan. The venture will focus on customizing AI solutions for major Japanese corporations, allowing them to train models on their proprietary data within secure environments.
SoftBank plans to implement these AI tools across its portfolio companies, including semiconductor designer Arm Ltd. SoftBank Corp., the group’s telecommunications unit, aims to automate over 100 million workflows using the technology.
The deal gives SoftBank priority access to OpenAI’s latest models in Japan, where corporate adoption of AI has lagged behind other major economies. Arm will provide the computing infrastructure needed to run these AI systems from cloud to edge devices.
While OpenAI CEO Sam Altman called the partnership transformative for Japanese businesses, analysts note that success will depend on overcoming cultural and technical barriers to AI adoption in Japan’s conservative corporate environment. The partnership follows similar enterprise-focused moves by OpenAI’s competitors, including Google and Anthropic, who are racing to monetize their AI technology.
