Masayoshi Son, founder and chairman of SoftBank Group, said at the company’s mobile unit annual general meeting on June 23 that building data centers in space has little merit. According to Bloomberg, Son pointed out that a key advantage touted for space-based data centers — lower electricity costs — is minimal compared to other costs like chips. Moreover, any electricity cost savings would have to be offset by higher space transportation expenses, maintenance costs, and communication latency. When a shareholder asked whether SoftBank also had ambitious space data center plans similar to those proposed by Elon Musk, Son replied: “In the AI race, the next few years matter far more than something that might happen roughly a decade from now.” He said SoftBank would focus on building “powerful” data center capabilities on Earth, stressing the need to “strike first.”
Musk has previously advocated for building data centers in space, partly to leverage solar power to reduce electricity costs and circumvent land constraints. Son’s remarks directly contrast with that view, reflecting SoftBank’s strategic focus in AI infrastructure: prioritizing near-term computing advantages on Earth rather than betting on space-based solutions with an uncertain time horizon.