Sun Zhengyi, founder of SoftBank Group in Japan, is fully committed to a new plan. According to insiders, the group plans to establish a new chip manufacturing company called Izanagi and invest $100 billion to compete with Nvidia in the field of artificial intelligence processors.
And Izanaki is a legendary deity in Japan who represents creation and life. Sun Zhengyi's choice of this image to name the new company undoubtedly reflects his great ambition.
Overall, Sun Zhengyi plans to invest $30 billion from SoftBank, while the remaining $70 billion may come from Middle Eastern institutions. But according to Sun Zhengyi's investment style, this plan may also constantly change over time.
Enthusiastic fans of artificial intelligence
The Yixianaqi project is clearly a product of Sun Zhengyi's double bet on artificial intelligence, and it is also a key breakthrough for SoftBank's further expansion in the field of artificial intelligence, following the processor architecture design company Arm.
Arm, as a chip design company, plays a crucial role in SoftBank's artificial intelligence strategy. Arm executives have observed a surge in demand for artificial intelligence chips in the industry, which has stimulated SoftBank's idea of creating a company to directly compete with Nvidia.
But facing Nvidia, which has accumulated 16 years of technical experience, it is clearly unlikely that the Eisenaki project will break the existing pattern in a short period of time. The only curious thing is how SoftBank will leverage Arm's advantages to develop Ezanagi.
On the other hand, Sun Zhengyi recently discussed cooperation in the semiconductor manufacturing field with OpenAI CEO Sam Altman. Altman was also reported last week to be in talks with investors in the Middle East for trillions of dollars in investments to enhance global chip manufacturing capabilities.
However, according to known sources, there is no sign of investment from Altman or OpenAI in Sun Zhengyi's Izanagi project. However, as mentioned earlier, Sun Zhengyi's project may encounter unpredictable variables before it truly lands.
What remains unchanged is Sun Zhengyi's confidence in artificial intelligence. He believes that universal artificial intelligence will be achieved within ten years and actively advises his Japanese corporate clients to embrace artificial intelligence, repeatedly emphasizing the transformative potential of universal artificial intelligence.