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In recent years, the rise of generative AI and machine learning has dramatically increased the importance of AI-ready data centers as essential platforms for large-scale data processing. Anticipating this transformation, SoftBank Corp. is aggressively driving investment and technological development in next-generation data centers. These initiatives underscore SoftBank’s pivotal role in building the bedrock of our future digital society.

Deepening Data Center Operations through Integration and Synergy

In December 2025, SoftBank resolved to execute an absorption-type split with its wholly-owned subsidiary, IDC Frontier (IDCF). Effective April 1, 2026, SoftBank will assume IDCF’s data center operations and customer contracts for cloud and network services, while transferring specific cloud service functions back to IDCF.

By centralizing management and technical resources within SoftBank itself, the company aims to bolster its development and operational framework, optimizing it for the demands of the AI era. This strategic reorganization is designed to enhance the competitiveness of SoftBank’s AI data centers while creating a foundation that can respond rapidly to evolving market trends.

Innovating AI Infrastructure with “Infrinia AI Cloud OS”

In January 2026, SoftBank unveiled “Infrinia AI Cloud OS,” a proprietary operating system specifically developed for AI data center operations. This software stack provides robust integrated management for large-scale GPU resources and container platforms like Kubernetes.

Going beyond mere hardware provision, Infrinia enables seamless AI workload management across diverse environments and offers APIs for Inference-as-a-Service (IaaS). It is engineered to allow data center and cloud providers to deploy high-performance GPU cloud services in a short timeframe. SoftBank plans to implement this system internally first, with a clear vision for subsequent global expansion.

A Long-Term Strategy Supporting AI-Era Infrastructure

A key differentiator of SoftBank’s strategy is its dual-track approach: optimizing both hardware facilities and the software/systems that run them. Rather than simply building isolated GPU clouds, SoftBank is establishing a flexible and scalable next-generation infrastructure capable of adapting to a wide range of AI processing needs.

Furthermore, the large-scale AI data center project planned for Tomakomai, Hokkaido, is drawing significant attention. Based on the concept of a “Brain Data Center,” this project aims to decentralize AI processing power and energy consumption, realizing a distributed infrastructure model. This strategy is highly regarded not only for meeting the growing domestic and international demand for AI but also for contributing to regional economic revitalization and disaster risk diversification.

SoftBank’s investment and innovation in AI data centers are driven by a multi-faceted approach encompassing software development, organizational integration, and strategic restructuring. These efforts serve as the engine for SoftBank’s leadership in the increasingly competitive landscape of AI-era infrastructure.