SoftBank launches AI-powered cybersecurity service for Japan

Key facts

• SoftBank Group has launched an AI-powered cybersecurity service in Japan.
• The service utilizes OpenAI technology to defend against AI-enabled cyberattacks.
• It is designed to protect Japan's top 3,000 companies and critical infrastructure.
• SoftBank founder Masayoshi Son described the initiative as a defense against a 'crisis' of cyber threats.
• The product is being rolled out via a joint venture between SoftBank Corp and OpenAI.

Japan's SoftBank Group has launched a new cybersecurity product, leveraging artificial intelligence to counter threats, particularly those enabled by AI itself. SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son described the initiative as a necessary defense against a growing 'crisis' of cyberattacks, emphasizing the company's obligation to protect critical Japanese infrastructure and its top companies.

The service, termed 'Patching as a Service,' will initially target the nation's 3,000 largest companies and key infrastructure sectors. SoftBank and OpenAI, known for its ChatGPT model, established a 50:50 joint venture, SB OAI Japan, last November to exclusively develop and market AI services within the Japanese market. SoftBank is a significant investor in OpenAI, with a committed investment of $64.6 billion by the end of 2026.

At the product launch presentation in Tokyo, SoftBank Corp CEO Junichi Miyakawa stated that approximately 50 people are currently working on the rollout, with plans to expand the team to around 1,000. OpenAI's chief researcher Mark Chen was present at the event.