SoftBank in Advanced Talks to Acquire DigitalBridge, Accelerating AI-Driven Digital Infrastructure Expansion

This acquisition would significantly expand SoftBank’s digital infrastructure footprint, complementing its existing $500 billion Stargate initiative—a joint venture with OpenAI, Oracle, and MGX aimed at building AI-optimized data centres across the United States[1][2]. The deal aligns with SoftBank’s broader AI-first strategy, which includes substantial investments in AI startups, robotics (notably the $5.4 billion ABB Robotics acquisition), and cloud infrastructure[2][4].

Market Context: AI and Data Centre Investment Surge

Investor appetite for digital infrastructure has intensified in 2025, driven by the exponential growth in AI compute demand. McKinsey estimates that AI-related infrastructure investments could reach $6.7 trillion by 2030, underscoring the critical role of data centres as “real estate” for AI workloads[1]. This trend has propelled DigitalBridge’s valuation and attracted premium interest from strategic buyers like SoftBank.

Following news of the potential acquisition, DigitalBridge’s stock price surged by 45%, prompting RBC Capital to raise its price target to $23 per share, reflecting expectations of a premium acquisition price and strong synergy potential with SoftBank’s AI infrastructure ambitions[3]. JPMorgan analysts have suggested a conservative acquisition price of $25 per share, with upside potential to $30–35 based on future growth projections[3].

DigitalBridge’s Strategic Moves and Portfolio Highlights

DigitalBridge has been actively optimizing its portfolio, recently agreeing to sell its Nordic tower company, Digita Group, to GI Partners. This divestiture includes over 950 communication tower sites in Finland and Iceland, enabling DigitalBridge to focus more on AI and data centre expansion[3]. Additionally, DigitalBridge has partnered with KT Corporation to develop AI data centres in South Korea, targeting gigawatt-scale capacity investments[3].

SoftBank’s AI Infrastructure Vision and Challenges

Masayoshi Son’s vision for SoftBank centers on capturing the AI infrastructure wave by integrating cloud, AI compute, and robotics. The Stargate project, despite initial delays due to site selection disputes and financing complexities amid market volatility, exemplifies this ambition[1][2]. SoftBank has also reallocated capital from chip stocks like Nvidia toward AI-aligned platforms and robotics, signaling a comprehensive AI ecosystem play[2][4][8].

SoftBank’s approach includes leveraging partnerships with AI developers such as OpenAI and investing in robotics startups like Skild AI, which recently attracted a potential $1 billion funding round valuing it at $14 billion[4][6][10]. These moves underscore SoftBank’s strategy to build an integrated AI infrastructure stack spanning hardware, software, and physical automation.

Implications for the Digital Infrastructure and M&A Landscape

The potential SoftBank-DigitalBridge deal highlights several key trends shaping the digital infrastructure M&A market in 2025:

• AI-Driven Valuation Premiums: Digital infrastructure assets, especially data centres, are commanding higher valuations due to their critical role in AI compute capacity.
• Consolidation and Vertical Integration: Large technology conglomerates and private equity firms are consolidating digital infrastructure to create end-to-end AI ecosystems.
• Cross-Border Expansion: DigitalBridge’s global footprint and partnerships, such as in South Korea, illustrate the international dimension of AI infrastructure investments.
• Capital Reallocation: Investors are shifting capital from traditional semiconductor and hardware plays toward integrated AI infrastructure and robotics platforms.

Infographic: SoftBank’s AI Infrastructure Expansion Strategy

(Visual description: A flowchart illustrating SoftBank’s AI infrastructure ecosystem, showing connections between the DigitalBridge acquisition, Stargate data centre project, investments in AI startups like Skild AI, and robotics acquisitions such as ABB Robotics. The chart highlights capital flows, strategic partnerships, and target markets including the US and Asia.)

Conclusion

SoftBank’s ongoing talks to acquire DigitalBridge represent a pivotal move in the firm’s AI infrastructure expansion, positioning it as a dominant player in the rapidly evolving digital infrastructure sector. The deal, if consummated, will not only enhance SoftBank’s asset base but also accelerate its ability to deliver AI-driven data centre capacity, robotics integration, and cloud services, reinforcing its leadership in next-generation technology infrastructure investments.