SoftBank Group is reportedly in advanced talks to acquire DigitalBridge Group, a move that would dramatically expand the Japanese conglomerate’s control over critical AI infrastructure as global demand for data centres accelerates. The potential deal, which could be announced within days, would give SoftBank exposure to roughly $108 billion in digital infrastructure assets, including data centres, cell towers and fibre networks. While financial terms remain undisclosed, the talks are said to be at an advanced stage.

The acquisition fits squarely into founder Masayoshi Son’s renewed bet on artificial intelligence and computing capacity. DigitalBridge manages investments in major data centre operators such as Vantage Data Centers, Switch, DataBank and AtlasEdge, placing SoftBank at the centre of the infrastructure powering next-generation AI. The company is also a key participant in Stargate, a $500 billion private-sector AI initiative announced earlier this year, and recently agreed to buy ABB’s robotics division as part of its broader push into physical AI.

Intensifying competition

Markets have reacted strongly to the prospect of the deal, with DigitalBridge shares surging as much as 47% after the initial reports emerged. The rally highlights intensifying competition for data centre assets, as AI drives unprecedented demand for computing power. McKinsey estimates AI-related infrastructure spending could reach $6.7 trillion by 2030, while Goldman Sachs forecasts global data centre power consumption will rise 175% from 2023 levels by the end of the decade. If completed, the acquisition would mark SoftBank’s return to direct ownership of a major digital infrastructure platform at a pivotal moment in the AI race.

Italy’s antitrust authority has ordered Meta to allow competing AI chatbots access to WhatsApp, suspending rules that blocked rivals. The decision comes amid concerns that Meta’s policies could limit competition and harm consumers in the rapidly growing AI services market. Meta plans to appeal, calling the ruling “fundamentally flawed” and arguing that WhatsApp wasn’t designed to support third-party AI chatbots.

The Italian Competition Authority began investigating Meta after its March 2025 launch of Meta AI on WhatsApp, later expanding the probe to cover updated business terms that excluded rival AI providers, such as ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot, and Perplexity. The European Commission has launched a parallel investigation, highlighting growing regulatory scrutiny on tech giants in Europe.

Europe’s stricter stance on Big Tech has sparked pushback from the industry and political figures in the U.S., including former President Donald Trump. Meta maintains that its Business API restrictions still allow AI for customer support and order tracking, but says general-purpose chatbot distribution falls outside its intended use.