裁员20%！软银愿景基金继续大瘦身

Core Viewpoint - SoftBank's Vision Fund is set to lay off nearly 20% of its workforce, marking the largest layoffs in venture capital history, as it shifts its investment focus towards artificial intelligence [1][2]. Group 1: Layoff Details - The Vision Fund, established in 2017, has a current scale of $157.3 billion, including its first and second funds and a Latin American fund [2]. - The fund peaked at 474 employees in March 2020 but has since reduced its workforce to over 300 employees [2]. - The layoffs occur despite strong performance, with the fund reporting a net revenue of 1.82 trillion yen for Q1 FY2025-2026, a 7% year-on-year increase, and a net profit of 421.82 billion yen, surpassing market expectations [2]. Group 2: Strategic Shift - The layoffs are part of a broader strategy to focus on bold investments in AI and breakthrough technologies, as stated by a Vision Fund spokesperson [3]. - The fund will continue to invest, with remaining employees directed towards ambitious projects like the $500 billion Stargate initiative in collaboration with OpenAI and Oracle [3]. Group 3: AI Investment Focus - The shift towards AI marks a departure from previous diversified investment strategies, aligning with SoftBank's recent capital-intensive investments in AI infrastructure and models [4]. - SoftBank has invested $9.7 billion in OpenAI and is pursuing a capital-intensive infrastructure strategy centered around its chip designer Arm, acquiring several AI chip companies [4]. - As of March 2023, SoftBank's investments in Nvidia and TSMC have increased to approximately $3 billion and $330 million, respectively [4]. Group 4: Financial Position - SoftBank's CEO Masayoshi Son emphasizes the importance of achieving Artificial Super Intelligence (ASI) and has outlined four key areas of focus: AI chips, AI robots, AI data centers, and energy [5]. - The company has a strong cash reserve of 4 trillion yen (approximately $27 billion), bolstered by the sale of T-Mobile shares, providing a solid foundation for aggressive investments in AI [5][6]. - The CFO stated that SoftBank's balance sheet supports its aggressive investments in AI, including a $30 billion investment in OpenAI and participation in the $500 billion Stargate project [6].