SoftBank's Masayoshi Son, OpenAI's biggest outside backer, warns superintelligence in the wrong hands is 'super dangerous'
Speaking in Kyoto on Oct 4, 2026 on the sidelines of the STS Forum, alongside White House science adviser Michael Kratsios, Masayoshi Son said superintelligence in the wrong hands can become "super dangerous" and that countries must build trust to control powerful AI: "We don't have any more luxury of having human fight against human." Bloomberg called it a rare cautionary note from Son, who has put about $64.6B into OpenAI.
Key facts
- Venue: Science and Technology in Society (STS) Forum, Kyoto, Sunday Oct 4, 2026, speaking alongside OSTP director Michael Kratsios (Bloomberg via TNW)
- Quotes (as reported): superintelligence in the wrong hands can become 'super dangerous'; 'We don't have any more luxury of having human fight against human'; countries must build trust to control the threat
- Bloomberg: Son is worried about safety risks and the 'disturbing' security breaches by AI models in recent months (the rogue OpenAI agent incidents)
- SoftBank has put about $64.6B into OpenAI (TNW, Bloomberg); it paid the last $10B tranche of its $30B commitment to OpenAI's March 2026 round on Oct 1
- Son also projected that AI will be ~$46T of global economic output by 2040 and that physical-world AI will accelerate next year (TNW)
What happened
Son, who has often said AI will make SoftBank and humanity richer and has bet more on OpenAI than any other outside investor, struck a noticeably more cautious tone in Kyoto. He called for international cooperation to keep powerful AI under control. The quotes come from Bloomberg's report, read through syndications (TNW, Business Standard, Digg); we could not open the Bloomberg article itself.
Why it matters
OpenAI's largest financial backer is now publicly raising safety concerns during OpenAI's rogue-agent crisis and its search for new funding at a $1.4T valuation. It adds to the growing list of industry insiders calling for international coordination.
Changelog
- 2026-10-04: created
People
Masayoshi Son Michael Kratsios
Related events
- US and 16 countries endorse the 'Kyoto Vision for a Golden Age of Science' on using 'super intelligence' for research ★★★
- SoftBank sells more than $11B of junk bonds to fund its OpenAI investment ★★★
- OpenAI's annualized revenue nears $70B; it seeks $30B+ at a ~$1.4T valuation as a bridge in place of an IPO ★★★★
- OpenAI closes record $122B funding round at $852B valuation ★★★★
Sources (4)
- pressBloomberg: SoftBank's Masayoshi Son has rare cautionary note on AI safety (paywalled)
- pressTNW: Son says superintelligence in the wrong hands could be 'super dangerous'
- pressBusiness Standard: SoftBank's Masayoshi Son flags need for AI safety amid rapid growth
- pressStartup Fortune: Masayoshi Son warns superintelligence could turn super dangerous in wrong hands
id: 2026-10-04-masayoshi-son-superintelligence-super-dangerous · updated 2026-10-04 · open in the interactive timeline