SoftBank Group has agreed to buy the US-based data centre investor DigitalBridge in a deal valued at about $4bn, underlining Masayoshi Son’s determination to deepen the Japanese group’s exposure to the infrastructure underpinning artificial intelligence.

According to Kyodo News, under the terms of the transaction, SoftBank will acquire all outstanding shares in DigitalBridge for $16 apiece through an indirect purchase structure. The deal is expected to complete in the second half of 2026, subject to regulatory approvals and customary closing conditions.

DigitalBridge specialises in investing in digital infrastructure, including data centres, mobile towers and fibre networks, assets that have become increasingly strategic as demand for computing power accelerates. SoftBank said the acquisition would enhance its ability to develop and finance large-scale facilities required to support new generations of AI services.

The move fits squarely with Son’s long-held vision of building an ecosystem around artificial intelligence, an area that has become the central focus of SoftBank’s investment strategy in recent years after a period of portfolio retrenchment. By securing control of a platform with deep expertise in digital infrastructure, the group aims to position itself closer to the physical backbone of the AI economy.

SoftBank said the transaction would provide a stronger foundation for next-generation data centres, as competition intensifies globally to secure capacity and energy-efficient facilities capable of supporting advanced AI models.