By Jason Chau
Japanese investment conglomerate SoftBank Group has launched a battery business amid surging demand for electricity driven by the global artificial intelligence boom.
Softbank Group's telecommunications arm--SoftBank Corp.--said Monday it will build large-scale battery cells and storage systems for the Japanese market, in partnership with South Korea-based battery company Cosmos Lab and AI firm DeltaX Co.
Production of batteries and solar panels will take place at SoftBank's factory in Sakai City, Osaka. The site will house a major AI data center and AI hardware plant, it said.
Battery production is expected to begin in the fiscal year ending March 2028, with mass production targeted for the following year, SoftBank Corp. said.
SoftBank Corp. will work with Cosmos Lab on next-generation zinc-halogen battery cells, while collaborating with DeltaX on high-performance, high-energy-density battery designs.
The company plans to use the batteries to power its AI data centers and support grid and industrial applications in Japan, with potential overseas expansion in the medium term.
SoftBank aims to generate annual revenue of more than 100 billion yen, equivalent to $638 million, from the battery business by fiscal 2030.
The move comes as SoftBank accelerates its pivot toward AI. It seeks to position itself as a key player in the global AI supply chain.
The company is forming a new venture, Roze AI, which is focused on AI infrastructure and robotics, in addition to its previously announced $500 million investment into the Stargate AI infrastructure initiative with OpenAI. Softbank has already invested up to $35 billion in OpenAI.
Write to Jason Chau at jason.chau@wsj.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
May 11, 2026 02:11 ET (06:11 GMT)
Copyright (c) 2026 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.