Archive · 14 Sep 2026
SoftBank Shares Plunge as OpenAI AI Slowdown Fears Grow
SoftBank is a company that invested a very large amount of money in OpenAI.
Its shares dropped sharply because investors became worried that the AI industry may grow more slowly.
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said the company should not rush to become publicly traded in 2026.
He also supported slowing the development of the most powerful AI systems until safety can be checked.
This made investors question how quickly OpenAI and other AI companies might expand.
SoftBank shares fell much more than some major semiconductor companies in Asia.
SoftBank’s investment is especially important because its shares could become common stock if OpenAI has a public listing.
The drop shows that investors are closely watching both AI growth and AI safety decisions.
SoftBank shares fell as much as 11.6% in Tokyo after heavy selling delayed trading for 19 minutes.
Investors reacted to concerns that the rapid expansion of frontier AI could slow.
SoftBank has committed $64.6 billion to OpenAI for an expected stake of about 13%.
Sam Altman said an OpenAI public listing in 2026 would be “ill-advised.”
Altman backed independent AI safety evaluations and calls to pace frontier development.
- Who
- SoftBank, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, and investors.
- What
- SoftBank shares plunged nearly 12% as investors reassessed the company’s large OpenAI investment and concerns about a possible slowdown in frontier AI development.
- When
- Monday, following Altman’s comments about AI safety and an OpenAI listing in 2026.
- Where
- Tokyo, Japan, where SoftBank shares trade.
- Why
- Investors feared that slower frontier AI development and the absence of an OpenAI public listing in 2026 could weaken the outlook for SoftBank’s investment.
AI Safety and Slower Development
Rapid AI Expansion
Pace of frontier AI development
AI Safety and Slower Development
Sam Altman backed Dario Amodei’s call to “pace the frontier” and supported independent safety evaluators with ongoing access to frontier AI companies.
Rapid AI Expansion
Investors’ concerns reflect the importance of continued rapid expansion in frontier AI to the value of companies heavily exposed to the sector, including SoftBank.
OpenAI public listing
AI Safety and Slower Development
Altman said an OpenAI listing in 2026 would be “ill-advised” while the company is focused on AI safety.
Rapid AI Expansion
SoftBank’s preferred shares are designed to convert into common stock if OpenAI conducts an IPO or related listing, making a delayed listing important to the investment’s outlook.
- SoftBank share decline
- Shares fell as much as 11.6%, after opening down 9.4% at 5,926 yen.
- Trading disruption
- Trading in SoftBank shares was delayed for the first 19 minutes of Monday’s session because of heavy selling pressure.
- SoftBank investment
- SoftBank has committed a cumulative $64.6 billion to OpenAI.
- Expected OpenAI stake
- The investment is expected to give SoftBank about 13% ownership.
- OpenAI valuation
- The latest investment was agreed at a $730 billion pre-money valuation.
- Investment schedule
- The remaining investment is structured in three $10 billion tranches, scheduled for April, July, and October.
- IPO position
- Sam Altman said an OpenAI listing in 2026 would be “ill-advised.”