{"id":3626,"date":"2025-08-19T16:43:00","date_gmt":"2025-08-19T12:43:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/omanet.om\/en\/news\/economy\/son-backs-tan-2b-intel-investment\/"},"modified":"2025-08-20T07:55:30","modified_gmt":"2025-08-20T03:55:30","slug":"son-backs-tan-2b-intel-investment","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/omanet.om\/en\/news\/economy\/son-backs-tan-2b-intel-investment\/","title":{"rendered":"SoftBank&#8217;s Son Backs Ally Tan with $2 Billion Intel Investment: What This Means for Tech Investors and Entrepreneurs"},"content":{"rendered":"<style>\r\n@keyframes hitv3sog-fadein{from{opacity:0;transform:translateY(14px)}to{opacity:1;transform:translateY(0)}}\r\n@keyframes hitv3sog-slideup{from{opacity:0;transform:translateY(20px)}to{opacity:1;transform:translateY(0)}}\r\n@keyframes hitv3sog-pulse{0%,100%{box-shadow:0 0 14px #dc262688}50%{box-shadow:0 0 32px #dc2626,0 0 60px #dc262655}}\r\n@keyframes 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solid rgba(255,255,255,0.18);backdrop-filter:blur(8px);-webkit-backdrop-filter:blur(8px);border-radius:20px;padding:3px 10px 3px 7px;margin-bottom:clamp(5px,0.6vw,9px);animation:hitv3sog-badge 0.5s ease both;\"><span style=\"display:inline-block;width:6px;height:6px;border-radius:50%;background:#dc2626;flex-shrink:0;\"><\/span><span style=\"font-size:clamp(8px,0.9vw,10px);font-weight:700;letter-spacing:0.07em;color:rgba(255,255,255,0.88);text-transform:uppercase;white-space:nowrap;\">EXCLUSIVE OMAN OFFER<\/span><\/div>\r\n    <div class=\"hitv3sogh\" style=\"animation:hitv3sog-slideup 0.7s ease both;animation-delay:0.15s;\">Websites For <span style=\"color:#dc2626;\">Omani Businesses.<\/span><\/div>\r\n    <div class=\"hitv3sogs\" style=\"animation:hitv3sog-slideup 0.7s ease both;animation-delay:0.3s;\">Empower your brand with custom digital solutions designed for high conversion and market dominance.<\/div>\r\n    <div class=\"hitv3sogbl\"><div class=\"hitv3sogbi\"><span style=\"display:inline-block;width:5px;height:5px;border-radius:50%;background:#dc2626;flex-shrink:0;margin-right:7px;\"><\/span><span>Responsive designs built for growth<\/span><\/div><div class=\"hitv3sogbi\"><span style=\"display:inline-block;width:5px;height:5px;border-radius:50%;background:#dc2626;flex-shrink:0;margin-right:7px;\"><\/span><span>Fast loading with smart automation<\/span><\/div><\/div>\r\n  <\/div>\r\n  \r\n  <div class=\"hitv3sogct\">\r\n    <button class=\"hitv3sogbtn\" style=\"animation:hitv3sog-pulse 2.5s ease-in-out infinite;animation-delay:1s;\">Build Your Free Website <span style=\"opacity:.9;\">\u2192<\/span><\/button>\r\n    <div class=\"hitv3sogbr\">hit.land<\/div>\r\n  <\/div>\r\n<\/a>\r\n<\/div>\n<p><\/p>\n<p>TOKYO \u2014 When Lip-Bu Tan stepped down from SoftBank Group\u2019s board in 2022 amid the company\u2019s struggles with troubled investments, he left behind advice on how Masayoshi Son\u2019s conglomerate could strengthen its operations. <\/p>\n<p>Three years later, SoftBank has made a significant show of support by acquiring a <strong>$2-billion stake in Intel<\/strong>, where Tan now serves as CEO. The move comes as Tan leads efforts to restructure the American chipmaker, which has been losing ground to Nvidia in the artificial intelligence chip market and facing challenges with its foundry business.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis is really a vote of confidence from Masa in the turnaround we expect to see over the coming years,\u201d said Rolf Bulk, an analyst at New Street Research. He added that SoftBank\u2019s investment increases the likelihood of it becoming a client of Intel in the future.<\/p>\n<p>Tan and Son share a longstanding relationship. Tan remarked, \u201cMasa and I have worked closely together for decades, and I appreciate the confidence he has placed in Intel with this investment.\u201d Tan\u2019s connections with SoftBank also include his role as chairman of the chip startup SambaNova, which received funding from SoftBank\u2019s Vision Fund.<\/p>\n<p>In his 2022 statement upon leaving SoftBank\u2019s board, Tan praised Son as a brilliant visionary who benefits from the counsel and safeguards others provide.<\/p>\n<p>Son, 68, is recognized for his political acumen, having appeared alongside former U.S. President Donald Trump shortly after the presidential election. He also maintains close ties with leading tech figures such as Jensen Huang, CEO of Nvidia, a company in which SoftBank holds a stake.<\/p>\n<p>Recently, Tan met with Trump, who had previously called for Tan\u2019s resignation over his connections with Chinese firms. Reports indicate that the U.S. government is negotiating to acquire a 10% stake in Intel.<\/p>\n<p>Amir Anvarzadeh of Asymmetric Advisors commented, \u201cSoftBank\u2019s investment helps, but it is not what will move the dial for Intel. It\u2019s more about maintaining Tan\u2019s good relationship with Trump.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>After a period of retrenchment following some underperforming tech investments, Son is once again making high-profile moves. SoftBank is pursuing a $500 billion U.S. data center project in partnership with OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT. The conglomerate recently bought a former Foxconn electric vehicle factory in Ohio as part of its Stargate data center initiative.<\/p>\n<p>SoftBank also controls Arm, which plans to develop its own chips, and acquired chipmaker Graphcore last year. The company\u2019s shares have surged, fueled by optimism about its AI-related investments.<\/p>\n<p>Nori Chiou, investment director at White Oak Capital Partners, emphasized, \u201cThe $2-billion investment should be seen more as a strategic stake than a financial one. In the semiconductor manufacturing sector, only capital commitments in the $30 billion to $40 billion range carry significant commercial weight.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Despite this support, experts acknowledge the formidable challenges Tan faces in turning Intel around after years of management missteps.<\/p>\n<p>Bulk of New Street Research noted, \u201cIt is Masa making a contrarian bet, but one in which the downside risk appears fairly limited.\u201d <\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Reuters<\/p>\n<p><style>\r\n@keyframes hitl8gak-fadein{from{opacity:0;transform:translateY(14px)}to{opacity:1;transform:translateY(0)}}\r\n@keyframes hitl8gak-slideup{from{opacity:0;transform:translateY(20px)}to{opacity:1;transform:translateY(0)}}\r\n@keyframes hitl8gak-pulse{0%,100%{box-shadow:0 0 14px #dc262688}50%{box-shadow:0 0 32px #dc2626,0 0 60px #dc262655}}\r\n@keyframes hitl8gak-shimmer{0%,100%{opacity:0.3;transform:scaleX(0.4)}50%{opacity:1;transform:scaleX(1)}}\r\n@keyframes 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solid rgba(255,255,255,0.18);backdrop-filter:blur(8px);-webkit-backdrop-filter:blur(8px);border-radius:20px;padding:3px 10px 3px 7px;margin-bottom:clamp(5px,0.6vw,9px);animation:hitl8gak-badge 0.5s ease both;\"><span style=\"display:inline-block;width:6px;height:6px;border-radius:50%;background:#dc2626;flex-shrink:0;\"><\/span><span style=\"font-size:clamp(8px,0.9vw,10px);font-weight:700;letter-spacing:0.07em;color:rgba(255,255,255,0.88);text-transform:uppercase;white-space:nowrap;\">EXCLUSIVE OFFER<\/span><\/div>\r\n    <div class=\"hitl8gakh\" style=\"animation:hitl8gak-slideup 0.7s ease both;animation-delay:0.15s;\">Your Website <span style=\"color:#dc2626;\">Should Sell.<\/span><\/div>\r\n    <div class=\"hitl8gaks\" style=\"animation:hitl8gak-slideup 0.7s ease both;animation-delay:0.3s;\">Custom-built websites with smart automation & AI-powered features.<\/div>\r\n    <div class=\"hitl8gakbl\"><div class=\"hitl8gakbi\"><span style=\"display:inline-block;width:5px;height:5px;border-radius:50%;background:#dc2626;flex-shrink:0;margin-right:7px;\"><\/span><span>SEO-optimized & lightning fast<\/span><\/div><div class=\"hitl8gakbi\"><span style=\"display:inline-block;width:5px;height:5px;border-radius:50%;background:#dc2626;flex-shrink:0;margin-right:7px;\"><\/span><span>Smart features built for your business<\/span><\/div><\/div>\r\n  <\/div>\r\n  \r\n  <div class=\"hitl8gakct\">\r\n    <button class=\"hitl8gakbtn\" style=\"animation:hitl8gak-pulse 2.5s ease-in-out infinite;animation-delay:1s;\">Get Free Consultation <span style=\"opacity:.9;\">\u2192<\/span><\/button>\r\n    <div class=\"hitl8gakbr\">hit.land<\/div>\r\n  <\/div>\r\n<\/a>\r\n<\/div><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<p>Special Analysis by Omanet | Navigate Oman&#8217;s Market<\/p>\n<p>SoftBank&#8217;s $2-billion strategic investment in Intel signals a renewed confidence in the semiconductor sector, highlighting the growing importance of AI and chip manufacturing innovation. For businesses in Oman, this underscores the <strong>need to stay agile in technology adoption<\/strong> and <strong>explore partnerships in the tech supply chain<\/strong> to capitalize on emerging AI-driven opportunities. Smart investors should watch for <strong>long-term shifts in tech ecosystems<\/strong> and consider ventures that align with global advancements in AI and semiconductor tech.<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>When Lip-Bu Tan left SoftBank&#8217;s board in 2022, he urged improvements. Now CEO of Intel, he&#8217;s driving a turnaround. SoftBank took a $2B stake in Intel, showing confidence. Tan&#8217;s close with SoftBank&#8217;s Masayoshi Son, backing Intel amid AI chip struggles.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":3627,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[482],"tags":[1298,1297,1296],"class_list":["post-3626","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-economy","tag-chip-industry","tag-intel","tag-softbank"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/omanet.om\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/3103731.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/omanet.om\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3626","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/omanet.om\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/omanet.om\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/omanet.om\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/omanet.om\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3626"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/omanet.om\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3626\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3628,"href":"https:\/\/omanet.om\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3626\/revisions\/3628"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/omanet.om\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3627"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/omanet.om\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3626"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/omanet.om\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3626"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/omanet.om\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3626"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}