SoftBank’s Son stays on, targets 10 more years to push AI

SoftBank Group founder Masayoshi Son said he has dropped his plan to retire in his 60s and now expects to remain at the helm for another 10 to 15 years as he steers the company deeper into artificial intelligence and robotics. Son, 68, said he wants to help speed the spread of AI and turn SoftBank into a leading AI-powered robotics company. The shift comes as SoftBank ramps up bets tied to the sector, including its nearly 90% stake in chip designer Arm Holdings, a commitment of about $65 billion to OpenAI and an agreement to buy ABB’s robotics unit for roughly $5.4 billion.