Masayoshi Son emerged from a three‑year slump that saw SoftBank’s share price halve and his reputation bruised by mis‑fired startup bets. He told investors he had cried, then turned the narrative around by meeting French President Emmanuel Macron at the Élysée Palace. The billionaire now touts a massive AI push, positioning his conglomerate for a comeback. He also hinted at further overseas fund‑raising.

During the high‑profile visit Son announced a $52 billion pledge to build data centers across France, a cornerstone of his global AI spending spree. The pledge follows SoftBank’s strategic shift from a disparate mix of telecom, e‑commerce and early‑stage ventures to a concentrated bet on generative AI. Investors see the commitment as a catalyst for revenue growth and valuation lift.

The market rewarded Son’s gamble; SoftBank surged to become Japan’s most valuable company, displacing Toyota after 23 years and pushing Son’s personal stake to roughly $100 billion, four times its level a year ago. The rapid wealth boost underscores how a single sector bet can reshape a conglomerate’s standing, confirming AI as the engine driving today’s equity reallocations. Analysts expect the AI pipeline to keep expanding.