SoftBank seals 6.5 billion deal for chip designer Ampere

SoftBank Group has agreed to acquire semiconductor designer Ampere Computing in a move that further broadens the Japanese investment firm's push into artificial intelligence infrastructure. SoftBank is buying Ampere in an all-cash transaction that values the Santa Clara, California-based firm at 6.5 billion, according to a statement. The deal for Ampere, whose early backers included Oracle and private equity firm Carlyle Group, adds to a wave of chip companies looking to capitalize on a spending boom in AI.