SoftBank to acquire chip designer Ampere in $6.5 billion deal

Core Viewpoint - SoftBank Group is set to acquire Ampere Computing for $6.5 billion, with the deal expected to close in the second half of 2025 [1][2]. Group 1: Acquisition Details - The acquisition price for Ampere Computing is $6.5 billion [1]. - Carlyle Group and Oracle will sell their stakes in Ampere as part of the deal [1]. - Ampere will function as an independent subsidiary and maintain its headquarters in Santa Clara, California [2]. Group 2: Strategic Importance - SoftBank Group aims to enhance its commitment to AI innovation in the United States through this acquisition [2]. - Ampere has a workforce of 1,000 semiconductor engineers, indicating a strong talent pool in the semiconductor sector [2]. Group 3: Market Context - Arm-based chips, which Ampere specializes in, are seen as energy-efficient alternatives to x86 architecture chips from Intel and AMD [3]. - Major cloud providers like Amazon Web Services and Microsoft are adopting Arm-based chips, highlighting a growing trend in the cloud computing market [3].