AI需求推动，软银利润翻倍

Core Viewpoint - SoftBank's quarterly profit surged by 124% due to strong demand for artificial intelligence, which supported startup valuations and chip sales, leading to a net profit of 517.18 billion yen (approximately $3.5 billion) in the fourth fiscal quarter [1]. Group 1: Financial Performance - The Vision Fund contributed significantly to SoftBank's turnaround, achieving a profit of 26.1 billion yen, primarily driven by the soaring valuation and robust international sales of ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok [1]. - For the fiscal year ending in March, SoftBank reported a net profit of 1.15 trillion yen, recovering from a loss of approximately 228 billion yen the previous year [2]. Group 2: Investment Plans - SoftBank plans to invest $30 billion in OpenAI and lead a $100 billion investment in AI hardware in the U.S., emphasizing the importance of maintaining healthy cash flow and balance sheets to secure necessary funding [1]. - The company aims to increase its investment in AI infrastructure to over $500 billion over time, as announced by founder Masayoshi Son and OpenAI co-founder Sam Altman [2]. Group 3: Market Challenges - Despite the positive financial results, SoftBank faces challenges in becoming a global leader in AI due to rising technology protectionism and potential tariffs imposed by the U.S. [2]. - The company has not yet detailed its financing strategy for large-scale data center construction, which is crucial for its AI ambitions [3].