On Point | Podcast The most powerful tech mogul you’ve never heard of
29 snips
Mar 24, 2025 Lionel Barber, former editor of The Financial Times and author of "Gambling Man," sheds light on Masayoshi Son, a largely overlooked tech titan and CEO of SoftBank. He discusses Son's monumental $500 billion investment in AI during the Trump era and his strategic partnerships with tech leaders like Sam Altman and Elon Musk. Barber details Son's rags-to-riches story, highlighting his early challenges and bold investment strategies, while also addressing the risks tied to his ambitious ventures and vision for the future of technology.
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Son's White House Appearance
- Masayoshi Son, CEO of SoftBank, stood on a stool to reach the White House podium in 2024.
- He pledged $500 billion for an AI project called Stargate, surprising many.
Stargate Project
- Stargate, an AI data center project, aims to fuel AI development in the U.S., partnering with OpenAI and Oracle.
- Masayoshi Son sees this as crucial in the AI arms race with China.
AI's Exponential Growth
- Masayoshi Son believes AI's improvement will be exponential, exceeding human intelligence.
- He emphasizes the speed and geometric progression of this change.
