SoftBank's Masayoshi Son Predicts Artificial Superintelligence Within A Decade After Testing OpenAI's 'Strawberry' Models

Masayoshi Son, CEO of SoftBank Group (OTC:SFTBF) (OTC:SFTBY), has forecasted the advent of artificial superintelligence within the next ten years. This revelation was shared during the SoftBank World 2024 conference.

What Happened: Son, Japan’s second wealthiest individual, commended OpenAI for its recent technological strides. He specifically mentioned the new GPT-o1 models, codenamed “Strawberry,” which he believes have developed reasoning capabilities, reported the Observer on Friday.

"This technology will evolve to a point where your happiness will be its greatest reward," said Son. He claimed that ASI, which would be 10,000 times more powerful than human intelligence, could be achieved within a decade.

Son envisions a future where AI can perform everyday tasks, such as grocery shopping and investment management, ultimately enhancing human happiness. His optimistic outlook is consistent with his history of making bold tech investments.

Looking forward, Son anticipates the achievement of artificial general intelligence, which matches human intelligence, within two to three years.

He also predicts artificial superintelligence, surpassing human capabilities, within a decade. SoftBank’s AI strategy is centered around ARM Holdings (NASDAQ:ARM), a U.K.-based chip designer, with plans to expand into AI chips, data centers, and industrial robots.

Why It Matters: Son’s prediction comes amid growing interest in A.I. advancements, particularly with OpenAI’s “Strawberry” models. These models are noted for their human-like reasoning capabilities, which could revolutionize various industries.

However, SoftBank’s ambitions to rival NVIDIA Corp (NASDAQ:NVDA) in A.I. chip production reportedly faced setbacks when talks with Intel Corp (NASDAQ:INTC) fell through. Despite this, SoftBank is exploring partnerships with other manufacturers like Taiwan Semiconductor (NYSE:TSM).

Additionally, Son’s focus on AI aligns with Sam Altman‘s commitment to developing artificial general intelligence, regardless of the financial cost. This shared vision underscores the significant investments and strategic shifts occurring in the A.I. sector.

Interestingly, SoftBank’s past decision to sell its Nvidia shares in 2019 resulted in a missed opportunity, as those shares would now be approximately worth over $150 billion. This highlights the high stakes and rapid evolution of the AI and tech investment landscape.

Read Next: