nvidia, openai and meta Updates

SoftBank recently made a significant strategic move, selling its entire $5.8 billion stake in Nvidia to reallocate funds towards its substantial AI ambitions, particularly a $30 billion commitment to OpenAI. This marks the second time SoftBank has fully exited Nvidia, a decision founder Masayoshi Son previously regretted after selling a $4 billion stake in 2019 that would now be worth over $150 billion. The Japanese conglomerate also sold 40 million T-Mobile shares, valued at $9.17 billion, to support these AI investments, which include potential participation in a $1 trillion AI manufacturing hub in Arizona. SoftBank reported a strong second-quarter net profit of $16.6 billion, with its Vision Fund recording a $3.5 trillion investment gain, largely from a $2.16 trillion holding in OpenAI, where it now holds an 11% stake with a $7.7 billion paper gain. SoftBank is also keen on 'physical AI' like robotics, acquiring ABB's robotics division for $5.4 billion and investing in companies such as Wayve and Bear Robotics. While SoftBank's CFO Yoshimitsu Goto cannot confirm an AI bubble, he views the technology's early stage as a positive development. Meanwhile, Nebius is rapidly expanding its AI cloud business, securing a major $3 billion AI infrastructure deal with Meta Platforms. This agreement, combined with an earlier $17.4 billion deal with Microsoft, is expected to drive its annualized run-rate revenue to between $7 billion and $9 billion by the end of 2026. Despite a 355% year-over-year increase in third-quarter revenue to $146.1 million, Nebius missed consensus expectations and reported an adjusted net loss of -$100.4 million. The Amsterdam-based company, which split from Yandex last year, plans aggressive growth next year, funded by corporate debt, asset-backed financing, and equity. In the competitive AI chip market, Qualcomm is actively working to surpass Nvidia, focusing on bringing AI directly to devices, known as 'edge' computing. The company recently unveiled the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 SoC for mobile devices and the Snapdragon Digital Chassis platform for future cars. Qualcomm also acquired Alphawave IP Group to enhance its chiplet interconnect technologies for AI workloads. Despite beating Q4 earnings estimates, Qualcomm's stock has remained flat, trading at lower valuations than Nvidia and AMD. The company projects its IoT and automotive businesses will generate $22 billion in revenue by fiscal year 2029. Southeast Asia is emerging as a significant hub for AI and data center investments. Despite private funding remaining 70% below its 2021 peak, it saw a 15% increase to $7.7 billion in the twelve months through June 2025. AI startups in the region secured 32% of all venture capital in early 2025, totaling over $2.3 billion across 680 firms, predominantly in Singapore. Data center capacity is set to nearly triple, with Malaysia leading new capacity and major inflows from tech giants like Google, Amazon, and Microsoft. Thailand is also attracting billions in commitments for local data infrastructure from companies including Bytedance, Google, and Amazon. In the ad tech sector, companies with strong AI narratives are seeing significant gains. AppLovin's third-quarter revenue soared 68% to $1.4 billion, driven by its AXON-powered advertising platform, leading to a substantial rise in its stock. Conversely, The Trade Desk's stock fell 4-7% despite beating expectations with $739 million in Q3 revenue, as investors expressed concerns about competition from major tech players like Amazon and Google impacting the open web. Similarly, DoubleVerify's stock dropped 19% after its Q3 revenue of $189 million slightly missed expectations. Finally, Azimut.ai, founded by former Israeli Navy captains, developed Albatros, an AI-powered system for maritime monitoring. This system uses existing port cameras to recognize and track objects over the sea, from swimmers to large vessels, learning normal activity to flag unusual behavior and identify vessels operating without communication. The company recently raised $1 million in funding, with Ashdod Port investing $650,000 after a successful trial, and plans international expansion and broader applications for offshore oil facilities and environmental agencies.

Key Takeaways

  • SoftBank sold its entire $5.8 billion Nvidia stake and 40 million T-Mobile shares ($9.17 billion) to fund a $30 billion commitment to OpenAI and other AI investments.
  • SoftBank reported a Q2 net profit of $16.6 billion, with a $7.7 billion paper gain from its 11% stake in OpenAI.
  • Nebius secured a $3 billion AI infrastructure deal with Meta Platforms and a $17.4 billion deal with Microsoft, projecting $7-9 billion annualized run-rate revenue by 2026.
  • Qualcomm aims to lead in AI chips for edge computing, introducing the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 SoC and acquiring Alphawave IP Group.
  • Southeast Asia is attracting significant AI and data center investments, with Google, Amazon, and Microsoft contributing to a near-tripling of data center capacity.
  • AI startups in Southeast Asia secured over $2.3 billion in venture capital, representing 32% of all VC funding in early 2025.
  • AppLovin's Q3 revenue jumped 68% to $1.4 billion, driven by its AXON-powered advertising platform, outperforming competitors in ad tech.
  • Azimut.ai raised $1 million, including $650,000 from Ashdod Port, for its AI-powered maritime monitoring system, Albatros.
  • SoftBank previously regretted selling a $4 billion Nvidia stake in 2019, which would now be worth over $150 billion.
  • Qualcomm expects to deliver $22 billion in revenue from its IoT and automotive businesses by fiscal year 2029.

SoftBank Sells Nvidia for OpenAI Focus

SoftBank reported strong second-quarter earnings, with net profit more than doubling to $16.6 billion. The company sold its entire $5.8 billion stake in Nvidia to reallocate funds toward OpenAI, where it now holds an 11% stake with a $7.7 billion paper gain. SoftBank is also bullish on "physical AI" like robotics and autonomous vehicles, acquiring ABB's robotics division for $5.4 billion and investing in Wayve and Bear Robotics. CFO Yoshimitsu Goto stated he cannot confirm if an AI bubble exists, but sees the technology's early stage as a positive development.

SoftBank Sells Nvidia Again for OpenAI

SoftBank sold its entire $5.8 billion stake in Nvidia to support a $30 billion investment in OpenAI. The Japanese tech conglomerate also sold 40 million T-Mobile shares, worth $9.17 billion, for the same purpose. This marks the second time SoftBank has cashed out of the chipmaker. SoftBank founder Masayoshi Son previously regretted selling a $4 billion stake in Nvidia in 2019, which would have earned the company over $150 billion today.

Nebius Signs $3 Billion AI Deal with Meta

Nebius announced a $3 billion AI infrastructure deal with Meta Platforms, causing its shares to rise. This agreement, along with a $17.4 billion deal with Microsoft, is expected to accelerate Nebius's AI cloud business growth. The company projects an annualized run-rate revenue of $7-9 billion. However, Nebius's third-quarter revenue of $146.1 million, despite a 355% year-over-year increase, missed consensus expectations, and its adjusted net loss widened to -$100.4 million.

Nebius Sales Jump After $3 Billion Meta AI Deal

Nebius's third-quarter revenue rose 355% from a year earlier to $146 million, though it fell short of analyst estimates. The company forecasts its annualized run-rate revenue will reach $7 billion to $9 billion by the end of 2026. CEO Arkady Volozh announced a new five-year agreement with Meta for about $3 billion of capacity, marking its second large AI infrastructure deal. Amsterdam-based Nebius, which split from Yandex last year, plans aggressive growth next year, funded by corporate debt, asset-backed financing, and equity.

SoftBank Sells Nvidia Stake for AI Investments

SoftBank founder Masayoshi Son sold the company's entire $5.8 billion Nvidia stake. This move aims to fund a planned $30 billion commitment to OpenAI and potential participation in a $1 trillion AI manufacturing hub in Arizona. This marks SoftBank's second complete exit from Nvidia; the first sale in 2019 was regretted as those shares would now be worth over $150 billion. Nvidia shares dropped nearly 3% after the disclosure, but analysts suggest SoftBank's sale is to raise capital for its AI ambitions, not a negative view on Nvidia itself.

Southeast Asia Attracts Major AI and Tech Investments

Southeast Asia's digital economy is drawing significant AI and data center investments, despite private funding remaining 70% below its 2021 peak. Private funding reached $7.7 billion in the twelve months through June 2025, a 15% increase from last year. AI startups secured 32% of all venture capital in early 2025, totaling over $2.3 billion across 680 firms, mostly in Singapore. Data center capacity is set to nearly triple, with Malaysia leading new capacity and major inflows from Google, Amazon, and Microsoft. Thailand is also seeing billions committed to local data infrastructure by companies like Bytedance, Google, and Amazon.

Qualcomm Aims to Lead AI Chips Against Nvidia

Qualcomm is working to surpass Nvidia in AI chips, focusing on bringing AI to devices, also known as "edge" computing. The company recently announced the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 SoC for mobile devices and the Snapdragon Digital Chassis platform for future cars. Qualcomm also acquired Alphawave IP Group to access chiplet interconnect technologies for AI workloads. Despite strong products and beating Q4 earnings estimates, Qualcomm's stock has been flat, trading at lower valuations than Nvidia and AMD. The company expects to deliver $22 billion in revenue from its IoT and automotive businesses by fiscal year 2029.

SoftBank Profits Soar to $16.6 Billion on OpenAI

SoftBank reported a significant surge in its second-quarter net profit for FY25, which doubled to $16.6 billion. The company's Vision Fund recorded an investment gain of $3.5 trillion, primarily from its $2.16 trillion holding in OpenAI. SoftBank sold its entire Nvidia stake in October, shifting its focus toward larger AI investments like OpenAI. Despite its stock falling last week due to AI bubble concerns, SoftBank also announced a four-for-one stock split.

Azimut.ai Uses AI to Boost Sea Security

Azimut.ai, founded by former Israeli Navy captains, developed Albatros, an AI-powered system for maritime monitoring. Albatros can recognize and track any object over the sea, from swimmers to large vessels, by using existing port cameras. The system learns normal activity to flag unusual behavior and identifies vessels operating without communication. The company recently raised $1 million in funding, with Ashdod Port investing $650,000 after a successful trial. Azimut.ai plans international expansion and is exploring wider applications for offshore oil facilities and environmental agencies.

AppLovin Soars with AI While Trade Desk Stumbles

AppLovin's third-quarter revenue jumped 68% to $1.4 billion, driven by its AXON-powered advertising platform, causing its stock to rise significantly. In contrast, The Trade Desk's stock fell 4-7% after reporting $739 million in Q3 revenue, despite beating expectations. Investors are concerned about competition from major tech companies like Amazon and Google impacting the open web. Similarly, DoubleVerify's stock dropped 19% after its Q3 revenue of $189 million came in slightly below expectations. These results highlight how investors are prioritizing companies with strong AI narratives and scale in the ad tech sector.

SoftBank Sells Nvidia Stake to Fund OpenAI

SoftBank announced it sold its entire 32.1 million shares of chip giant Nvidia in October, raising nearly $6 billion. The Japanese company is reallocating these funds to invest heavily in OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT, and other AI companies. SoftBank's CFO Yoshimitsu Goto stated this move is to support large investments in OpenAI. While Nvidia's stock slid after the news, this sale is seen as a strategic shift to fund SoftBank's AI ambitions rather than a negative signal on Nvidia itself.

Sources

NOTE:

This news brief was generated using AI technology (including, but not limited to, Google Gemini API, Llama, Grok, and Mistral) from aggregated news articles, with minimal to no human editing/review. It is provided for informational purposes only and may contain inaccuracies or biases. This is not financial, investment, or professional advice. If you have any questions or concerns, please verify all information with the linked original articles in the Sources section below.

SoftBank Nvidia OpenAI AI Investments Robotics Autonomous Vehicles AI Chips Edge Computing AI Infrastructure AI Cloud Maritime Security Ad Tech Meta Platforms Microsoft Qualcomm Nebius Southeast Asia Digital Economy Data Centers Venture Capital Financial Performance Market Strategy Stock Market AppLovin The Trade Desk ChatGPT

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