M20220116MasayoshiSon：MessagefromChairman&CEO

Message from Chairman & CEO

Creating the Future with AI Entrepreneurs as a “Vision Capitalist” for the Information Revolution
Over the past three or four years, I have often been asked “What is SoftBank Group?” To that, I had been providing the short explanation that SoftBank Group (“SBG”) is an investment company. At the same time, I felt frustrated about how best to explain what the company really is. I would therefore like to take this opportunity to define SBG once again: Put simply, SBG is a capital provider driving the Information Revolution.
The Industrial Revolution, which began in the U.K. in the latter half of the 18th century, gained further momentum in other countries in the 19th century driven by the development of the steam engine. Providing the impetus for this revolution were inventors such as James Watt. In addition to inventors, capitalists including the Rothschilds, who took risks and provided capital to inventors, played an indispensable role. Inventors and capitalists together drove the Industrial Revolution, which triggered ongoing global GDP growth. Now, about 200 years later, in the 21st century, the Information Revolution is about to bloom. In similar fashion to the role played by inventors during the Industrial Revolution, entrepreneurs have been instrumental in leading the Information Revolution. And just as in the Industrial Revolution, the Information Revolution is steadily advancing as capital providers invest more and more into entrepreneurs.
SBG is especially keen to focus on AI, which is the most advanced component of the Information Revolution. We are proud to say that SBG is likely the largest provider of capital to entrepreneurs in the field of AI. AI is redefining every industry, including autonomous driving, healthcare, finance, education, and retail. Just as human power was replaced by machines in the Industrial Revolution, I suspect machines will be replaced by AI in the Information Revolution.
The most important goal for investors is to make money, but for capital providers, it is to create the future. The Rothschilds, as a capital provider, laid the foundation for our lives in the Industrial Revolution, and the future (from then) up to the present. Likewise, SBG, as a capital provider for the Information Revolution, has made it our mission to help shape the future. This is what being a capital provider for the Information Revolution means.
In the Information Revolution, especially the Information Revolution driven by AI, SBG will share a vision with AI entrepreneurs and aspire to shape the future together.
Recently, I am sometimes asked if SBG is a venture capitalist (VC). In simple terms, SBG may be a huge VC. From my perspective, however, I am not comfortable with this definition. I believe that SBG is a VC– “Vision Capitalist” that will shape the future of the Information Revolution over the course of several decades. Our corporate philosophy of “Information Revolution– Happiness for everyone” has not changed since our first day of business 40 years ago, no matter how many times our business has changed. As a capital provider for the Information Revolution and a Vision Capitalist, we will continue our efforts to make this philosophy a reality.
July 2021
Masayoshi Son
SoftBank Group Representative

董事长兼首席执行官致辞

以AI企业家为信息革命的“愿景资本家”创造未来

在过去的三四年里，我经常被问到“什么是软银集团？”对此，我一直在提供一个简短的解释，即软银集团（“SBG”）是一家投资公司。与此同时，我对如何最好地解释公司的真实情况感到沮丧。因此，我想借此机会再次定义SBG：简单地说，SBG是推动信息革命的资本提供者。

工业革命始于十八世纪下半年的英国，十九世纪，蒸汽机的发展带动了其他国家在十九世纪的进一步发展势头。詹姆斯·瓦特等发明家推动了这场革命。除了发明家之外，包括罗斯柴尔德家族在内的资本家也发挥了不可或缺的作用，他们承担了风险，为发明家提供了资金。发明家和资本家共同推动了工业革命，引发了全球GDP的持续增长。现在，大约200年后的21世纪，信息革命即将爆发。与工业革命期间发明家所扮演的角色类似，企业家在领导信息革命方面发挥了重要作用。正如工业革命一样，随着资本提供者对企业家的投资越来越多，信息革命也在稳步推进。

SBG特别热衷于关注人工智能，这是信息革命中最先进的组成部分。我们自豪地说，SBG很可能是人工智能领域企业家的最大资本提供者。人工智能正在重新定义每个行业，包括自动驾驶、医疗保健、金融、教育和零售。正如在工业革命中人类的力量被机器所取代一样，我怀疑在信息革命中机器将被人工智能所取代。

对投资者来说，最重要的目标是赚钱，而对资本提供者来说，则是创造未来。作为资本提供者的Rothschilds为我们在工业革命和未来（从那时起）到现在的生活奠定了基础。同样，作为信息革命的资本提供者，SBG将帮助塑造未来作为我们的使命。这就是成为信息革命的资本提供者意味着什么。

在信息革命中，特别是在人工智能推动的信息革命中，SBG将与人工智能企业家分享愿景，并渴望共同塑造未来。

最近，我有时被问到SBG是否是风险投资家（VC）。简单地说，SBG可能是一个巨大的VC。然而，从我的角度来看，我对这个定义并不满意。我相信SBG是一家风险投资公司——“愿景资本家”，将在未来几十年内塑造信息革命的未来。自40年前我们创业的第一天起，无论我们的业务发生了多少次变化，我们“信息革命——人人幸福”的企业理念从未改变。作为信息革命的资本提供者和愿景资本家，我们将继续努力使这一理念成为现实。

2021年7月

孙正义

软银集团代表