Japanese tech billionaire Masayoshi Son has announced plans to invest $100 billion in US projects over the next four years, a move aimed at creating 100,000 jobs in emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI).
The announcement was made alongside US President-elect Donald Trump at a press conference, signaling a renewed effort to attract foreign investment and boost domestic job creation.
Standing next to Trump at his Mar-a-Lago resort, Son described Trump as a “great negotiator,” even laughing when the president-elect playfully suggested he double the investment commitment. Trump called the pledge a “monumental demonstration of confidence in America’s future” and framed it as a sign of growing business optimism under his incoming administration.
While the promise of a $100 billion investment and 100,000 new jobs generated headlines, many details remain unclear. Son did not specify how the investment would be financed, nor did he outline which industries or locations would benefit from the spending.
Son’s company, SoftBank Group, is known for making bold, high-stakes investments in technology and startups. However, it has faced criticism for past missteps, including high-profile investments in companies like WeWork and Wirecard that later faced significant financial trouble. Questions have also been raised about how SoftBank, which had $30 billion in cash earlier this year, plans to fund a $100 billion investment.
This is not Son’s first high-profile investment pledge. Early in Trump’s first term as president, Son promised to invest $50 billion in US ventures. While SoftBank’s venture capital arm, the Vision Fund, did invest an estimated $75 billion in US companies, there was little transparency about how many of those investments were new versus pre-existing commitments — and how many new jobs were actually created.
This announcement echoes other high-profile investment pledges made during Trump’s first term. In 2017, Taiwanese electronics manufacturer Foxconn pledged to invest $10 billion to build a high-tech manufacturing facility in Wisconsin, a project Trump touted as the “eighth wonder of the world.” However, the company ultimately spent just $1 billion and created fewer than 1,000 jobs — far short of the 13,000 jobs initially promised.
Similar situations arose with other major pledges. Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba’s founder, Jack Ma, promised to create 1 million U.S. jobs over five years after meeting with Trump in 2017. However, five years later, Alibaba reported that it “supported” 403,000 US jobs, well below the target.
The 2019 announcement of a partnership between Foxconn and the electric vehicle startup Lordstown Motors was another case of over-promise and under-deliver. Trump heralded the effort as a sign of revitalized US manufacturing, but Lordstown Motors later filed for bankruptcy and rebranded as Nu Ride Inc.
While some announcements did result in job creation, such as Intel’s $7 billion semiconductor plant in Arizona, many others fell short of expectations. The pageantry and media attention surrounding these announcements often overshadowed the actual outcomes, with critics noting that the pledges were long on spectacle but short on specifics.
Trump’s return to the White House signals a renewed emphasis on attracting foreign investment. His campaign promises to cut taxes, reduce regulations, and streamline approvals for large-scale projects have already lifted business sentiment. Trump has also vowed to reward companies that produce goods in the US and impose tariffs on imports from key trading partners like China, Mexico, and Canada.
This approach aligns with Trump’s broader strategy of using public announcements to promote his administration’s economic agenda. By highlighting large investment pledges, Trump aims to signal that the US is open for business, while encouraging other global firms to follow suit.
However, Trump’s critics caution that such pledges are often symbolic and may not deliver the large-scale results that are initially promised. Without clear terms and accountability measures, critics argue, these deals can amount to public relations wins rather than tangible economic gains.
Masayoshi Son is known for making bold bets on high-growth ventures, and his Vision Fund is one of the world’s largest technology-focused venture capital funds. Over the years, Son has become famous for both extraordinary successes — like his early investments in Yahoo and Alibaba — and major failures, such as WeWork.
WeWork, once valued at $47 billion, saw its valuation collapse after a failed IPO attempt and financial mismanagement by its CEO, Adam Neumann. SoftBank had to step in with a bailout, incurring substantial financial losses. Another troubled investment was Wirecard, a German payments company that collapsed amid an international fraud investigation.
Son’s announcement of a new $100 billion investment has revived skepticism, with some analysts noting that SoftBank’s cash flow and track record might not support such an ambitious goal.
As with previous large-scale investment pledges, the long-term impact of Son’s $100 billion promise will depend on execution. While it offers a symbolic win for Trump’s economic agenda, the effectiveness of the investment in delivering on its job creation targets remains to be seen.
The lack of specific details on funding, timing, and target industries has left some observers cautious. Nonetheless, the announcement reinforces the message that Trump is intent on using his influence to attract investment, support US jobs, and revive his “America First” economic policies.
