SoftBank's Son Says AI Revolution Is Far Bigger Than Dot-Com Era

6/1/2026

SoftBank AI wave may outpace the dot-com boom, says Masayoshi Son. See why he still sees huge long-term upside despite market corrections.

SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son said the current AI wave is much larger than the dotcom boom and described it as one of the biggest technology shifts in history. Speaking to CNBC in Paris on Monday, Son said he believes the AI revolution could be far bigger than the internet expansion of the 2000s, while acknowledging that periods of correction are possible. He compared the longterm outlook for AI to earlier technology cycles that eventually recovered after market setbacks. The comments came a day after SoftBank announced a 75 billion euro plan to build AI infrastructure in France, including data center capacity in the northern HautsdeFrance region. Son said the company plans to use project financing and customer commitments to support the buildout, and he also said SoftBank remains confident in OpenAI's prospects.