Rene Haas, CEO of Arm, is set to oversee SoftBank Group’s international semiconductor and AI operations, aiming to fast-track Project Izanagi, a strategy to rival Nvidia and other tech giants. The role, pending board approval, will see Haas manage divisions including semiconductors, AI, and robotics—without overseeing the Vision Fund or energy ventures. This aligns with founder Masayoshi Son’s vision to position SoftBank as a leader in AI infrastructure, data centers, and chip design, leveraging acquisitions like Graphcore and Ampere. Arm’s new AI processor, unveiled under Haas, aims to become the backbone of this strategy, with projections of a fivefold revenue increase over five years.

The chip’s launch could disrupt markets dominated by Intel, AMD, and Nvidia, though major players have voiced support. SoftBank is also investing heavily in U.S. infrastructure, including the Stargate data center and a $20 billion gas-fired power plant in Ohio, to fuel its AI ambitions.