The SoftBank Group and OpenAI Launch “SB OAI Japan” Joint Venture
New company launched for rollout of “Crystal intelligence” to transform Japan’s corporate management and operational practices with AI
SoftBank Group Corp.
OpenAI Group PBC
The SoftBank Group (SoftBank Corp. and SoftBank Group Corp.) and OpenAI Group PBC today announced their joint venture, SB OAI Japan GK (“SB OAI Japan”), launched on November 5, 2025. SB OAI Japan was formed as a joint venture to provide “Crystal intelligence,” which will transform the corporate management and operational practices of Japan’s enterprises with AI.
SB OAI Japan will leverage OpenAI’s advanced AI technology to market Crystal intelligence — a packaged enterprise AI solution that integrates OpenAI’s latest products with tailored implementation and system integration services. SB OAI Japan is expected to market Crystal intelligence exclusively in Japan, with availability planned for 2026.
Crystal intelligence is designed to help organizations enhance productivity and management efficiency through the adoption of advanced AI tools. The solution combines OpenAI’s enterprise offerings with localized implementation and support provided through SB OAI Japan.
Ahead of the rollout of Crystal intelligence to customers in Japan, SoftBank Corp. will adopt and deploy this technology as the first user, validating its effectiveness in product development and business transformation through advanced AI technologies. The insights and operational expertise gained through these initiatives will be accumulated and shared progressively with other enterprises via SB OAI Japan.
The SoftBank Group is promoting its transformation into an AI-native group of companies, with all employees actively utilizing AI in their daily operations. By leveraging OpenAI’s technology, the Group has already created approximately 2.5 million custom GPTs (ChatGPTs that can be customized for specific tasks or use cases) for internal use, and is now working to establish a foundation for Crystal intelligence.
Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, said: “This joint venture with SoftBank is an important step that will accelerate our vision for bringing advanced AI to some of the world’s most influential companies, starting with Japan.”
Masayoshi Son, Chairman & CEO of SoftBank Group Corp., said: “This marks the start of a new era of innovation that will transform how people work and businesses are managed. With the launch of SB OAI Japan, AI agents will understand our goals and collaborate with each other to autonomously carry out tasks we want them to perform. Together with OpenAI, we’re driving the AI revolution to the next stage.”
Junichi Miyakawa, President & CEO of SoftBank Corp., said: “With the launch of SB OAI Japan, we're accelerating the development of Crystal intelligence. SoftBank Corp. will lead the way by implementing and utilizing Crystal intelligence internally, and by drawing on the insights gained through this process, we’ll help corporate clients transform their corporate management and operational practices.”
By rolling out Crystal intelligence and supporting the utilization of AI that is deeply rooted in management and operational processes, SB OAI Japan will transform the management of Japan’s companies.
New company details
Location: 1-7-1 Kaigan, Minato-ku, Tokyo
Ownership: C Holdings Corporation: 50%, OpenAI: 50%
(C Holdings ownership: SoftBank Corp.: 51%, SoftBank Group Corp.: 49%)
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