SoftBank to acquire semiconductor designer Ampere in $6.5B all-cash deal

Core Viewpoint - SoftBank Group is acquiring Ampere Computing for $6.5 billion in an all-cash deal to enhance its investment in AI infrastructure, with the acquisition expected to close in the second half of 2025 [1][4]. Company Overview - Ampere Computing, founded by former Intel executive Renee James, specializes in server chips based on the ARM compute platform and has a workforce of 1,000 semiconductor engineers [2][3]. - Carlyle and Oracle, the lead investors in Ampere, will sell their shares, with Carlyle holding a 59.65% stake and Oracle holding 32.27% [2]. Strategic Importance - The acquisition will strengthen SoftBank's capabilities in AI and computing, aligning with its recent initiatives, including a partnership with OpenAI and investments in AI infrastructure projects [4][5]. - Ampere's customer base includes major players like Google Cloud, Microsoft Azure, Oracle Cloud, Alibaba, and Tencent, indicating its significant market presence [3]. Future Vision - Masayoshi Son, Chairman and CEO of SoftBank, emphasized that Ampere's semiconductor expertise will accelerate the development of breakthrough computing power necessary for Artificial Super Intelligence [5]. - Ampere aims to advance its AmpereOne roadmap for high-performance Arm processors and AI in collaboration with SoftBank [6].