SoftBank To Build Japan's Most Powerful AI Supercomputer With Nvidia’s New Blackwell Chips

SoftBank Group declared plans to build Japan’s most powerful AI supercomputer in collaboration with Nvidia, using the chipmaker’s new Blackwell design.

The AI supercomputer, to be constructed by SoftBank’s telecom unit, will be based on Nvidia’s DGX B200 technology, which integrates central processing units (CPUs) with specialised AI accelerator chips. This model will be followed by an upgraded system built on Nvidia's more advanced Grace Blackwell chips. The project marks the first deployment of Nvidia’s Blackwell design in a large-scale system, positioning SoftBank at the forefront of Japan’s AI technology landscape.

SoftBank's new AI infrastructure seeks to enable various applications across Japan, including autonomous vehicle support, remote robotics control and enhanced AI-driven telecommunications. SoftBank, Japan’s third-largest wireless carrier, also plans to utilise Nvidia’s technology to deliver AI services over its cellular networks. Nvidia’s AI-optimised chips will transform traditional networks into AI-powered radio access networks (AI-RANs), creating a nationwide AI grid to support next-generation applications that require significant data handling capabilities while conserving power.

SoftBank Group shares initially fell on the declaration, dropping 3.3 per cent, while SoftBank shares rose by 1.5 per cent on Wednesday, showing mixed market reactions to the company’s expansion into AI. Nvidia's new Blackwell chip line, declared earlier this year by CEO Jensen Huang, had faced production delays, but demand remains high as tech companies worldwide compete for AI processing resources.

Nvidia’s influence in AI markets extends globally, with recent promotional events across India and Japan aiming to expand AI system deployments beyond its major US clientele. During an AI summit in Tokyo, SoftBank founder Masayoshi Son spoke about Japan's potential in AI innovation, calling it a ‘catch-up moment’ for the nation. Son, who previously owned a stake in Nvidia worth around USD 178 billion today, acknowledged Japan’s historically slow adoption of AI and urged government support to bolster this strategic buildout.

To facilitate the AI network’s deployment, SoftBank will work with partners Fujitsu and IBM’s Red Hat to test the system’s performance and adaptability in diverse applications. Huang stated that the AI-RAN would revolutionise Japan’s telecommunications by transforming it into an AI-integrated network, positioning Japan for a central role in the AI era.