SoftBank Group to Acquire U.S. Chip Design Firm Ampere For $6.5-B

SoftBank Group Corp. has announced that it will acquire U.S.-based semiconductor design company Ampere Computing Holdings LLC for $6.5 billion, as reported by Mainichi Japan.

Ampere’s semiconductor designs are based on the Arm platform, which SoftBank Group sees as complementary to Arm’s strengths. I Photo: Ampere Technologies Facebook

The deal is part of SoftBank’s broader push into artificial intelligence infrastructure investments.

The transaction, expected to close in the latter half of 2025, will make Ampere a wholly owned subsidiary while allowing it to retain its name, the companies stated. SoftBank has increasingly focused on AI as the core of its business strategy in recent years.

Through its British chip-designing subsidiary Arm Holdings PLC, the tech giant has been promoting AI adoption across industries while investing in AI startups such as OpenAI.

Ampere’s semiconductor designs are based on the Arm platform, which SoftBank Group sees as complementary to Arm’s strengths.

“The future of Artificial Super Intelligence requires breakthrough computing power,” SoftBank Group CEO Masayoshi Son said in a press release. “Ampere’s expertise in semiconductors and high-performance computing will help accelerate this vision and deepen our commitment to AI innovation in the United States.”