SoftBank Group is quietly assembling a robotics company designed to build data centers, and sources indicate the Japanese conglomerate is already eyeing a potential $100 billion initial public offering for the venture.
The move underscores a growing trend: while AI and robotics require massive computing infrastructure, the construction of that infrastructure itself is increasingly being automated. SoftBank's new entity aims to deploy robots in the physical construction of data centers, potentially accelerating build times and reducing costs.
"You need infrastructure to build AI and robots, but apparently you also need AI and robots to build infrastructure."
The venture is still in early stages, but SoftBank's ambition signals a bet that the demand for data centers will outstrip traditional construction capacity. The reported IPO target, if realized, would place the company among the most valuable robotics firms globally.