SoftBank may acquire Switch data-center group deal in AI infrastructure bid

SoftBank Group Chairman Masayoshi Son speaks in Tokyo earlier this month. Sources have said the group is considering acquiring data-center operator Switch. The move would give it outright ownership of a large portfolio of the facilities at a time when demand for their computing power is growing rapidly. SoftBank Group is studying potential acquisitions including data-center operator Switch, as billionaire founder Masayoshi Son ramps up the search for deals that can help it ride the artificial intelligence-fueled boom in digital infrastructure, people with knowledge of the matter have said. The Japanese company has held discussions with Switch leadership and has been conducting due diligence on the closely held company, the people said, asking not to be identified because the information is private.