SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son has made a staggering gamble, announcing a $100 billion project named "Izanagi" to develop AI chips and compete with industry leader NVIDIA. This audacious move raises critical questions about the future of artificial intelligence and its potential impact on humanity.
Izanagi, named after the Japanese god of creation, embodies Son's ambition to become the architect of "what Mankind's future will and should be." He envisions the "AI Revolution" as a defining moment, and SoftBank intends to be at the forefront.
The project capitalizes on the surging demand for AI processing power, currently hampered by global chip shortages and NVIDIA's struggle to meet the immense demand. SoftBank leverages its ownership of Arm, a leading chip design company, to gain a strategic advantage in this burgeoning market.
The mammoth $100 billion investment will reportedly see $30 billion coming from SoftBank itself, with the remaining $70 billion potentially sourced from Middle Eastern investors. Interestingly, these investors were previously barred by the US from dealing with NVIDIA due to concerns about Chinese influence in the region.
But Izanagi's ambitions extend beyond commercial success. Son boldly predicts the development of Artificial General Intelligence (AGI), an AI capable of surpassing human wisdom by a staggering "10,000 times." He envisions a "happier, more connected world" shaped by such an intelligence, but critics warn of a dystopian future where superintelligent AI poses an existential threat to humanity.
The announcement has already had a significant impact, with SoftBank shares surging 30% and Arm's shares soaring over 80%. Son's decision to decline selling Arm to NVIDIA in 2022 now appears astute, given the booming chip market. He has also discussed potential collaboration with Sam Altman's trillion-dollar chip project, indicating a willingness to join forces on this ambitious pursuit.
However, the potential downsides of Izanagi cannot be ignored. The development of superintelligent AI, while enticing, carries inherent risks. The fear of an AI surpassing human control and potentially harming humanity, as depicted in countless science fiction narratives, raises real concerns.
Izanagi represents a high-stakes gamble, fueled by both utopian dreams and dystopian anxieties. While only time will tell whether Son's vision of a benevolent AI-powered future materializes, one thing is certain: his audacious project will undoubtedly accelerate the journey towards that answer.
